Institutional Animal Care

IACUC Certification

Faculty, researchers, and staff who work with vertebrate animals or tissues must be certified by the IACUC which is done through the USF online ARC portal.

Principles & Procedures (Section VIII)
All documents are to be uploaded as PDFs.
Download the Certification Checklist to keep track of your progress.

Step 1 – Request an AALAS Account

  • Declare your affiliation (e.g., Moffitt, USF, New college or unaffiliated) and which Principal Investigators Lab you intend to work with and the species you intend to work with in your email request
  • You will receive an email from IACUC@usf.edu with your AALAS log in information
  • Login into AALAS LL – you will be required to create a password, and then Complete Profile
  • Proceed to complete Assigned Training listed under the Tab “Assignments”
  • Download completion certifications as PDFs and save for future upload to your ARC profile

Step 2 – Request an ARC Account

  • Use your official email address (USF, Moffitt, etc.)
  • You will receive a temporary password for log in
  • Log in, go to your Profile tab, select your profile name, and then edit your researcher profile activity
  • Select “IACUC” in Researcher Profile Section 1.2 of your researcher profile
  • Researcher Profile Section 2.4 – Upload PDF of CV/resume
  • Researcher Profile Section 2.6 – Click on the three dots and add your PI and Secondary Study Contact

Completing Certification Documentation AND UPLOADING INTO ARC researcher Profile for IACUC

In order to complete the next steps please login into ARC, go to your profile tab, select your profile, and then edit researcher profile activity.

How to Edit Your USF IACUC ARC Researcher Profile (PDF)

Researcher Profile Section 3.1 – Animal Experience

  • Complete Species and Years’ Experience. Indicate 0 years of experience, if none.

Researcher Profile Section 3.2 – Health & Risk Assessment Form (required)

  • Complete form; all information is required
  • Sign form; may sign electronically
  • PI must sign form; may sign electronically
  • Section 3.2 – Upload a PDF of completed form to the Health & Risk Assessment field in your ARC profile
  • Follow up with appropriate institutional occupational health department for clearance via private communication for services, e.g., BBP vaccines, titers, screenings, etc. DO NOT upload any health related documents to your ARC profile.

Researcher Profile Section 3.3 – Facility Orientation
Contact CompMed@usf.edu to schedule Facility Orientation (required)
Wildlife Orientation; Tissue Orientation

  • Form must be signed by trainee and manager
  • Upload a PDF of the completed, signed Facility Orientation Form
  • Note- in person facility orientation is only scheduled after t above Health & Risk Assessment Form completed and uploaded to your ARC Research Profile.

Researcher Profile Section 3.4 – AALAS USF custom course-Laws & Regs Certification
Upload PDF of AALAS training certificate (required for all researchers)

Researcher Profile Section 3.5 – Upload PDF of AALAS Rodent Basic Biomethodologies Certificate (required for all rodent researchers)

Researcher Profile Section 3.6 – Contact CompMed@usf.edu to schedule Rodent Biomethodologies Wet Lab Training (required for rodent researchers)

  • Upload PDF of signed training completion form

Researcher Profile Section 3.7 – Upload PDF of AALAS Aseptic Technique in Rodent Survival Surgical Procedures Certificate (required for certain studies only, PI will advise)

Researcher Profile Section 3.7a – Contact CompMed@usf.edu to schedule Aseptic Surgical Training Wet lab (required for certain studies only, PI will advise)

  • Upload PDF of signed training completion form

Researcher Profile Section 3.8 – Other Documents, e.g., Wildlife PI Training Statement or unique species specific training statement, Occupational Health Clearance Letters, additional AALAS certifications, additional wet-lab training, VA CITI certifications species specific, etc.

  • Upload all documents as PDFs

Summary IACUC Training Matrix for Researchers Using Animals (PDF)

James A. Haley VA-based Training

  • All research staff contributing to protocols either funded via the VA Merit Review process or conducted at the JAHVA animal facility must complete at least two training modules via the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) on the CITI Program website.
  • "Working with the IACUC" (Note that AALAS Training is acceptable in lieu of this module.)
  • Species-specific training (e.g., "Introduction to Mice"); if more than one species is to be used, then more than one species-specific tutorial must be completed.
  • Upload a copy of the CITI certification of completion to item 3.3 of your "Researcher Profile" viewable via the ARC portal.