IACUC Protocol

Smithsonian animal care polices

All Smithsonian Units are required to examine and adhere to Smithsonian Directive 605 on Animal Care and Use which was recently made available to the SI community on PRISM.  The SI administration is requesting that all units closely examine activities involving the use or collection of vertebrate animals and comply with this directive and report on progress on a biannual basis.  

STRI’s IACUC committee has been established since 2004.  Current members of the committee are: Oris Acevedo; Patrick Jansen and Rachel Page, representing the scientific staff; Diorene Smith, representative from the local community; Jose Ramon Perurena, safety officer, Nora Lapenta, a local veterinarian.

As a result of the new SI directive STRI research staff and associates, including visiting scientists and fellows, whose research and collecting activities involve live vertebrates, and who have not previously submitted the required information to STRI’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) must do so now.   This applies primarily to projects initiated prior to 2004 before STRI had an active IACUC.  Application form can be accessed online.

We expect your cooperation with this policy. If you should have any questions, or you need to submit your protocol for approval (amendments or changes), please write to: STRIIACUC@si.edu