Battelle Memorial Institute Pacific Northwest's (BMI-PNW) Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is responsible for reviewing all protocols involving live vertebrate animals, ensuring compliance with federal regulations, inspecting animal facilities and laboratories, and overseeing training and educational programs. The overall role of the IACUC is to ensure the humane and sensitive care and use of animals.

The IACUC is committed to ensuring that the approval of all animal research takes into consideration the possible replacement of animals, the refinement of studies to alleviate or minimize potential pain and maximize the comfort and welfare of the animals, and the possible reduction in the number of animals necessary to obtain valid scientific data.

The BMI-PNW IACUC serves as a resource for investigators, staff, and administrators on the use of live vertebrate animals in research. It ensures that animal use is conducted in accord with the highest scientific, humane, and ethical principles and complies with regulations. The IACUC also makes sure that housing conditions and care are species-appropriate and occur in an environment that is safe and secure for both animals and staff. 

IACUC Mission Statement

The IACUC is engaged in fulfilling the institution's responsibilities to uphold the principle for humane and compassionate animal care and use in research.

The Role of the IACUC

IACUCs are local, institutional committees with federal mandates to ensure animal welfare. Members of the IACUC are charged with representing society's concerns regarding the welfare of animal subjects, BMI-PNW, and the general community. The IACUC serves as the local oversight arm of federal agencies and accrediting bodies, such as Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the National Institutes of Health, and the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, requires an IACUC at any institution that uses animals in research, provided the species is among those listed under the definition of "animal" in the Animal Welfare Act. The Public Health Service (PHS), through NIH, requires an IACUC at any institution that conducts PHS-supported activities involving any live vertebrate animal. The IACUC consists of scientists actively involved in animal research, non-scientists from PNNL, and attending veterinarian, and a community member not affiliated with PNNL.

Accreditations

• Accredited Since 1976—Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International
• Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare, Assurance number A3353-01
• Registered Since 1967—U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Member—Northwest Association for Biomedical Research