Training is mandated

The Animal Welfare Act Regulations (AWAR), the Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals ("PHS Policy"), and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals ("the Guide") each stipulate that all personnel involved in animal research should be adequately trained. The University of Houston IACUC, together with the Attending Veterinarian (AV) and the Institutional Official (IO), has the responsibility to ensure this training and that all animal use is accomplished in a humane and scientifically acceptable manner.

Who must receive training

The Principal Investigator (PI) on all research projects involving animal subjects, all individuals involved in the conduct animal subjects research, and those serving as voting members of the IACUC must receive appropriate training. Failure to assure the education component of our NIH/OLAW Assurance is considered noncompliance and has the potential to negatively affect funding opportunities for University of Houston faculty, staff, and students. It is the PI’s responsibility to ensure all individuals engaged in research have been added to an approved IACUC protocol and are appropriately trained to conduct the procedures they will be performing before coming in contact with animals.

Types of training

CITI online training

• For all animal users (requires a refresher course every 3 years): 

• • Laboratory Animal Welfare ("Working with the IACUC" for “Researchers” 
  • A species-specific course (e.g., “Working with Mice in a Research Setting”) 

• For those conducting any surgical procedures: 

• • "Aseptic Surgery"

IACUC Office Training (optional but encouraged)

The IACUC Office can provide protocol submission tips and tricks and compliance pitfalls to avoid. This training may also be utilized as a corrective action for instances of noncompliance.

ACO training

To access the animal facility, additional training and Occupational Health documentation is required by Animal Care Operations.

Register for training

Click here for the direct link to CITI. 

For CITI online training, refer to these instructions (PDF) for how to access the modules listed above. Initial training is required prior to IACUC approval for research or instructional work with animals.

**When registering with CITI, please ensure that the email you utilize is your UH email address ending in uh.edu. This will ensure that your training records are correctly accessed by the ICON online system. **

A shorter refresher training is required every three years.

For IACUC Office Training and assistance with CITI: Contact iacuc@central.uh.edu.

For information on ACO training, contact aco@central.uh.edu.

The IACUC reviews documentation for the education requirement prior to the initial approval of an IACUC protocol, at annual/triennial review, and when a revision is requested to add additional personnel. Failure to fulfill the education requirement may delay the approval of a protocol or the approval of the individual to work with animals in a research capacity.