Animal Care & Use – University of Georgia Office of Research

Animal Care & Use

The Office of Animal Care and Use (OACU) oversees the University’s use of animals in scientific investigation and instruction, manages the compliance activities of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) .

Announcements and News

Coming soon: New IACUC protocol system!

In early 2027, the Office of Animal Care and Use will launch the new IACUC protocol portal system to replace Artemis. Current launch projections are for January 2027, however this timeline is approximate and may be adjusted.

Periodic notifications will be sent to inform the research and teaching community. Some things to know:

Artemis will remain available for submissions until the launch. Once the launch date has been determined, we will provide more guidance on whether to submit in Artemis or wait to submit in the new system.

Once the new system is launched, new protocols cannot be submitted in Artemis. We will have a method to integrate Artemis protocol information into the new system, and PIs will be able to use the new system to submit amendments to protocols previously approved in Artemis.

Here are a few improvements we are eager to share with the research/teaching community:

The protocol form sections will be organized slightly differently to minimize repetition, and the questions will be more specific to better guide researcher responses. The goal is to streamline the process and have fewer revision questions.
Researchers will be able to include attachments with the form.
To amend a protocol, a new version of the protocol is created and edited, so the material will be incorporated into the base protocol (no more appending on the bottom!).
The new form will use the USDA Highest Use Categories (B,C,D,E), replacing the current A,B,C system. This will ensure consistency with grants that reference USDA categories.

Over the 2026-27 academic year, IACUC will provide additional opportunities for researchers to learn more about the new system. Be on the lookout for communications announcing these opportunities. For questions, please contact Leanne Alworth at alworth@uga.edu.

IACUC

The use of vertebrate animals in research at UGA requires registration, review and approval by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). IACUC review and approval is required to ensure compliance with all regulations, policies and standards that protect animal welfare. All animal use proposals are submitted through Artemis.

For general inquiries please contact our staff at iacuc@uga.edu

Humane Care and Use Policy

UGA maintains a Policy on Humane Care and Use of Animals that declares its compliance with regulations and policies governing use of all vertebrate animals used in research and instruction.

How Do I Report an Animal Welfare Issue?

The University of Georgia is committed to the humane care of the animals used in its research and instructional activities. If you have a question or concern about animal welfare, we urge you to report concerns to your supervisor or to the University’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). UGA’s Policy on Reporting and Investigating Animal Welfare Concerns can be found here.

The identity of persons reporting concerns to the IACUC is held strictly confidential if requested. Persons reporting animal welfare concerns are protected from reprisal by applicable whistleblower protection policies.

One may also report concerns anonymously, through the Anonymous Welfare Concerns Reporting Form or through the UGA Ethics and Compliance Reporting Hotline: 1-877-516-3467.