Investigator Training

Animal welfare regulations and public health service policy require institutions to ensure that all people caring for or using animals are qualified/trained to do so.

Investigators, technical personnel, trainees and other personnel who are involved in the oversight, or actual care and use of experimental animals must be qualified through training or experience to accomplish these tasks in a humane and scientifically acceptable manner. Faculty with approved animal use protocols must assure the Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) --- also known as the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) --- that personnel will be or are adequately trained.

Training is provided through UTHealth’s Center for Laboratory Medicine Animal and Care. All investigators and personnel listed on an animal protocol must attend the introductory course. Additional training may be required depending on what species investigators and staff will be handling. Completion of these institutional training courses must be completed prior to full approval of protocol personnel.

Personnel who are not UTHealth employees or students and will be working with animals or their tissues at UTHealth, must review the Visitor/Trainee Guidance and, if applicable, apply and obtain official status prior to being considered for approval on a UTH animal protocol.

In addition to completion of required training courses, PIs and protocol personnel with animal contact must enroll in the occupational health program prior to being approved as protocol personnel.

It is the investigators responsibility to ensure that all laboratory personnel have completed the appropriate animal training courses.

NO ANIMAL MANIPULATIONS MAY OCCUR BEFORE THE COMPLETION OF ANIMAL TRAINING COURSES.

Questions?
Please contact Kelly Williams, Animal Research Training Coordinator at 713-500-7732 or via email at Kelly.A.Williams@uth.tmc.edu