OACU will present a poster titled, "Harmonizing Animal Care and Compliance in a Large Decentralized Federal Research Program" at the upcoming NCAB and AALAS annual meetings in September and October 2022, respectively.
This poster describes how OACU contributes to the success of the decentralized organizational structure of the NIH/IRP animal program by advocating global strategies to ensure compliance with regulations and accreditation standards and enhancing the humane treatment of research animals, while respecting the unique geographic and programmatic needs of the 24 Institutes and Centers.
Dr. Nina Schor was appointed as the NIH Acting Deputy Director for Intramural Research on August 1, 2022. In this role, Dr. Schor will become the Institutional Official for the NIH/IRP animal research program.
On April 27, 2022, the NIH Animal Research Advisory Committee approved a new Guideline on Post-Study Research Animal Disposition. The purpose of this guideline is to assist the NIH Institutes and Centers in developing an animal disposition policy to facilitate the transfer of research animals at the end of their experimental use to a person or organization for non-research use.
OACU Moderates ORS/CREx Panel on Animal Model Research Services
Moderated by OACU, and hosted by ORS/CREx, a panel presentation was held on February 24, 2022. The presentation focused on NIH's animal model services and provided researchers across the NIH with information about resources and services available. The panel featured presenters from ORS, NHGRI, and NINDS.
OACU is pleased to announce Dr. Susan Harper as the Deputy Director.
Dr. Susan Harper recently served as a special scientific advisor at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Beltsville, MD. She earned her B.S. in agriculture at West Virginia University and a D.V.M. at Louisiana State University, and started her professional career in food animal medicine. She practiced for 8 years before enrolling in a post-doctoral residency and Master’s degree program at the Penn State University College of Medicine, where she continued to serve as an assistant professor for 2 years following graduation. She left academia to pursue a career with the federal government and has served in a variety of research, clinical, policy, and regulatory roles at NIH, FDA, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and USDA. Dr. Harper has achieved board certification in the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine and the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, and certification as a registered biosafety professional through the American Biological Safety Association. She also serves on AAALAC Council, the National Research Council Standing Committee for the Care and Use of Animals in Research, and is an active member of numerous scientific and professional organizations associated with veterinary medicine, laboratory animal welfare, research safety, and biosecurity.
OACU welcomes Dr. Harper to her new position.
OACU to Launch New Training Course
Beginning in December 2021, OACU will offer a new hands-on training course - The Biomethodology of the Laboratory Mouse. This four-hour course will focus on basic mouse handling, injection, blood collection, and genotyping techniques.
Dr. Francis Collins, NIH Director, continued making his rounds to thank groups and individuals for their dedicated work over the last nearly 2 years under pandemic conditions. He recently visited virtually with animal care workers in a call hosted by Dr. Stephen Denny, Director of the NIH Office of Animal Care and Use, and Ms. Heather Smith, Associate Director of the NIH Office of Animal Care and Use.
On October 5, 2021, Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., announced his decision to end his tenure as the director of the National Institutes of Health by the end of the year. Dr. Collins is the longest serving presidentially appointed NIH director, having served three U.S. presidents over more than 12 years.
“The Important Role of Animal Research in mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine Development” is now available online.
The National Academy of Sciences Scientist Series educates the public on animal research contributions to science, animal, and human health, with information contributed by an expert in the field. The series was developed by the ILAR Roundtable on Science and Welfare in Laboratory Animal Use and the first article, written in collaboration with the NIAID Policy, Planning, and Evaluation Branch (PP&E), explains how mouse, hamster, and primate research contributed to life-saving COVID-19 vaccines. Read the article here.
New ARAC Supplement to Define Major Modifications
The ARAC released a supplement to the DDIR Policy Memo on Scientific Merit Review for the Use of Nonhuman Primates, which required new Animal Study Proposals (ASPs) involving NHPs and their major modifications be reviewed for scientific merit in addition to the review performed by the IC Animal Care and Use Committee (ACUC) for animal welfare-related issues. The supplement provides additional information and guidance related to this DDIR Policy Memo, including a definition of major modifications.
This page was last updated on Thursday, February 11, 2021
