The Animal Care Committee (ACC) is responsible for reviewing and approving all research involving animals used in research, testing, or teaching. Committee functions are administrated through the Office of Animal Care and Institutional Biosafety (OACIB) within the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research.

The goal of the OACIB is to facilitate the protocol writing/review process for the investigator and to ensure compliance of animal-based research, testing or teaching with federal regulations. OACIB accepts all protocol submissions, coordinates protocol review, notifies the investigator of the outcome of protocol review and works with investigators during the protocol writing/review process.

Please contact us (oacib@uic.edu) if you have questions regarding the use of animals in research, testing or teaching.

Highlights and Updates Heading link

ACC Holiday 2024 Deadlines & Reduced Service Schedule

The Office of Animal Care and Institutional Biosafety (OACIB), serving the Animal Care and Institutional Biosafety Committees (ACC/IBC), will observe the UIC reduced service schedule for non-essential services. OACIB will close at 5:00 PM on Friday, December 23, 2024 and reopen at 8:30 AM on Thursday, January 2, 2025. Please remember the following deadlines to allow time for the review and approval process prior to the reduced service schedule:

  • Deadline for submission for ACC Protocols eligible for review at the January Meeting is 5:00 PM, Wednesday, December 4, 2024.
  • Deadline for submision for ACC Modifications eligible for administrative, designated review or full committee review in December is 5:00 PM, Wednesday, December 4, 2024. Modifications submitted after this date will be reviewed in January 2025.

Revised ACC Protocol and Modification Forms 
The Animal Care Committee’s Protocol Form B (v5.1) and Modification Form D (v4.2) have been revised to incorporate multiple ACC changes. Please ensure that you are using the most current form by downloading from the Forms page.

Removal of Protocol Annual Review Requirement
The Annual Review Process that involved the completion of an Annual Continuation Form are no longer required due to a Final Rule, in response to the 21st Century Cures Act, issued by USDA APHIS, that became effective On December 27, 2021, which removes the requirement for annual protocol continuation by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. In accordance with OLAW, annual reviews are no longer necessary, and the protocol approval letters will have the approval period indicated for 3 years. Complete resubmission of protocols with a de novo review is still required every 3 years.

In accordance with this change, the UIC OACIB will no longer be sending out Annual Continuation Forms and Annual Renewal Letters for the majority of protocols with the exception of protocols that contain USDA exemptions and for all Form Gs.  Please contact us at oacib@uic.edu if you have any questions regarding this change