Training & Education

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is committed to upholding standards of animal care that meet or exceed both the spirit and the letter of the regulations and policies of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Public Health Service for the humane care and use of animals in research and teaching. Introductory and ongoing training and education of faculty, students, and staff is an important component of this program to ensure that the highest standards are met.

Principal Investigators have primary responsibility for ensuring that all persons working under an IACUC-approved animal protocol are appropriately trained. By signing the protocol application, the PI gives assurance that all individuals working with animals will receive the necessary and appropriate training for working with teaching or research animals, and that every person engaged in the project has been or will be thoroughly trained in the methods and procedures to be used. In addition, it is the responsibility of the PI to assure that all such personnel have been made familiar with the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, and the requirements of the amended Animal Welfare Act.

ONBOARDING

When an individual joins the Animal Care and Use Program and seeks to begin work with live vertebrate animals and/or their tissues, there are several steps that must be taken to ensure adequate training as well as health and safety of the individual. These include (but are not limited to):

  1. Online training modules
  2. Enrollment in the Occupational Health Medical Surveillance Program (OHMSP)
  3. Vivarium orientation

Once an individual is onboarded, these processes do not stop. Personnel continue training with seminars, hands-on training, veterinary consultations, and post-approval monitoring sessions. Additionally, the health status of all personnel is re-evaluated at least annually.

For more information regarding these processes, please see:

ONLINE TRAINING & INSTRUCTIONS

As one of the basic education requirements for the Animal Care and Use Program, the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) online training program provides the conceptual framework for humane and ethical treatment of vertebrate animals in research and teaching. 

Specific CITI modules are required for individuals working on IACUC protocols and IACUC members, too. Required modules must be repeated every three (3) years. 

NOTE: IACUC CITI training is not the same as Biosafety CITI training. These modules are unique to each program. 

FOLLOW THESE STEPS TO REGISTER AND SET UP YOUR TRAINING CURRICULUM:

  1. On the main CITI page, click “Register” to create an account.
  2. Enter “University of North Carolina at Charlotte” for your Organization, then complete the guided registration process.

NOTE: For individuals who used CITI training at other institutions – you may log into your account from your prior institution and in your main screen choose “Add Affiliation.” Select “University of North Carolina at Charlotte” and complete any other required information when prompted.

  1. On your main page after logging in, scroll to “Institutional Courses.” 
  2. Select “View Courses” beside the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
  3. Scroll down to “Learner Tools for University of North Carolina at Charlotte.” 
  4. Click “Add a Course.”
  5. A series of questions will appear. Skip Questions 1-4. 
  6. Answer Question 6 to access the courses required by the Animal Care and Use Program:
  • All personnel: select “Working with the IACUC.” (NOTE: Only IACUC members should choose “Essentials for IACUC Members”)
  • Select the courses applicable to all species you will work with: “Working with [choose your species]”
  • For work with unconditioned / wild vertebrate animals: select “Wildlife Research.”
  • For rodent-specific research: select “Reducing Pain and Distress in Laboratory Mice and Rats.”
  • For survival or non-survival surgeries:  select “Aseptic Surgery.”
  • For work with tissues, nanoparticles, tumors, vaccines, etc.: select “Working with Animals in Biomedical Research.”
  1. Unless you have received instructions to complete additional training (e.g., Biosafety in Question 9), skip the other questions and Click “Submit.” 
  2. The selected courses will now appear on your main CITI page.

Next, link your CITI account with your Niner Research profile so your training can be tracked.  Follow the instructions in this guide.

NOTE: CITI offers full support for the current versions of five browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Internet Explorer, and Safari. For additional compatibility details, search the CITI Support Center.

If you have questions about CITI training for your IACUC protocol, contact the ORPI / IACUC Staff at uncc-iacuc@charlotte.edu or 704-687-1872.

VIVARIUM ORIENTATION & HANDS-ON TRAINING

Vivarium training occurs in multiple steps. Field researchers / teachers are exempt from this training if they do not utilize the Vivarium facilities.

  • Introductory Training and Vivarium Orientation includes a review of the regulations and principles of research animal use, administrative procedures, PPE and safety, and basic principles of working in the Vivarium. This training is performed online, and an invitation is sent to the researcher once the other required onboarding steps have been completed. A short quiz follows the orientation.
  • Once the online module is completed, researchers schedule a Facility Tour and staff introductions. This training is required of all first-time users of the Vivarium facility. 
  • Subsequent Hands-On Training in animal handling and restraint, anesthesia, relief of discomfort surgery or specific procedures is provided by the Attending Veterinarian and/or Vivarium Staff as needed or requested by the AV or Principal Investigator.
ADDITIONAL TRAINING & EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES

To assist Principal Investigators with training responsibilities, the University provides a number of resources:

  • Seminars: The Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) and the University Veterinarian present a seminar each spring and fall semester. The seminar addresses the research environment, federal regulations, responsibilities of the University and investigators, issues associated with protocol review (including scientific relevance, justification for the use of animals, and alternatives to animal use), and an overview of veterinary care (including the assessment of pain, anesthesia and analgesia, surgery, post-surgical care, and euthanasia).
  • Veterinary Consultation: The Attending Veterinarian is available to consult with faculty or staff on any matter related to protocol design, experimental procedure, or animal health, and will provide training or assistance in any medical procedure as required. In particular, the Veterinarian will observe or participate, as appropriate, in surgical procedures when work is started under a new protocol to ensure that faculty, students, and staff have the necessary skills and training for the procedures being utilized.

In addition to these training resources, information and access to documents is available to investigators through the following websites: