Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)

Glossary

A through F | G through Z

AAALAC

Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International. A private, nonprofit organization that promotes the humane treatment of animals in science through voluntary accreditation and assessment programs. See www.aaalac.org.
Acute Pain

Results from a traumatic, surgical or infectious event that is abrupt in onset, relatively short in duration, and generally alleviated by analgesics. Associated distress may be responsive to tranquilizers.
Ag Guide

Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Agriculture Research and Teaching (Federation of Animal Science Societies, 2010). See http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/newsletters/v9n3/9n3f6441.htm
Ag Studies

Studies in which agricultural (farm) animals are used in agricultural research or teaching for which the specific objectives are to improve food or fiber production.
Analgesia

Absence of the sense of pain without loss of consciousness.
Anesthesia

Loss of bodily sensation with or without loss of consciousness.
Animal

Any living, non-human, vertebrate animal (mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, or fish), unless otherwise specified.
Animals as Human Food Source

Agricultural production of animals or animal products intended to enter the food distribution system.
Animal Welfare Assurance

Key document in defining the relationship between the institution and the Public Health Service (PHS), signed by the Institutional Official, sets forth the responsibilities and procedures of the institution regarding the care and use of animals, and requires the Institutional Official to file an annual report with the PHS. An “Assurance” can remain in place up to four years and is renewable. See Cornell's AWA.
APHIS

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. See http://www.aphis.usda.gov.
AUHSP - Animal Users Health and Safety Program

The AUHSP function is to identify and track persons having direct or indirect contact with animals used in research and teaching, for the purpose of evaluating the human health risks associated with that contact. See http://www.oria.cornell.edu/AUHSP/
AV

Attending Veterinarian. A veterinarian with training or experience in the care and management of the species attended, and who has direct or delegated authority for activities involving animals at Cornell University.
AWAR

Animal Welfare Act and Regulations. See http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/legislat/usdaleg1.htm
Biohazardous Agents

Infectious/pathogenic agents classified as Class 2, 3, and 4 bacterial, fungal, parasitic, viral, rickettsial or chlamydial agents, as well as other agents that have the potential for causing disease in healthy individuals, animals or plants ( including infectious agents, regulated pathogens & pests, cell cultures, tissues, human-derived materials, biological toxins, recombinant DNA molecules)
Biomedical Studies

Studies in which animals (including agricultural or farm animals) are used in research or teaching for which the direct or indirect objectives are to improve human health.
Breeding Protocol

An animal protocol in which animals are used for planned propagation. USDA Category B applies only to animals used solely for breeding purposes. If parents or offspring are subjected to any other procedures (including sampling of tissue for genotyping, or euthanasia) they must be assigned to USDA Category C.
CARE

Cornell Center for Animal Resources and Education. CARE is responsible for the administration of the Animal Care and Use program in compliance with state and federal regulations and university policy. See www.research.cornell.edu/care.
Cervical Dislocation

Euthanasia accomplished by "breaking the neck" or "snapping the spine" by a method intended to be quick and painless.
Chronic Pain

Results from a longstanding physical disorder or emotional distress that is usually slow in onset, has a long duration, and is generally not totally alleviated by analgesics, but frequently responds to tranquilizers combined with environmental manipulation and behavioral conditioning.
Client Owned Animals

Vertebrate animals not owned by Cornell and normally kept in non-Cornell owned housing or facilities. Owners may bring these animals to Cornell for veterinary care, or for demonstration purposes. Conversely, Cornell researchers may visit the animals and carry out procedures at the client location. Animals on non-Cornell farms are client owned.
Conspecifics

Individuals of the same species. This term is usually used to refer to interactions within an animal enclosure or proximate area.
Distress

Undesirable physical or mental stress resulting from pain, anxiety, or fear. Its acute form may be relieved by tranquilizers, whereas sustained distress requires environmental change and behavioral conditioning, and does not respond to drug therapy.
Euthanasia

The humane destruction of an animal accomplished by a method that produces rapid unconsciousness and subsequent death without evidence of pain or distress, or a method that utilizes anesthesia produced by an agent that causes painless loss of consciousness and subsequent death.
Exemption

An exception approved by the IACUC to the standards of animal care specified in the Guide or the Ag Guide. Exemptions from Standards of Care must be approved by the IACUC every six months.
Experimental Animal Endpoints

The time at which live animals (or groups of animals) are no longer undergoing experimental treatment or procedures. In many studies the experimental endpoint is euthanasia.
Faculty Member

Member of the university faculty as defined by Board of Trustees Bylaws. See Board of Trustees - Overview.
Field Studies

Studies conducted with wild animals in their natural habitat. Wild animals may be captured or held in the field for limited periods of time.
General Anesthesia

State of unconsciousness characterized by absence of pain and some muscle relaxation.
Generalized Discomfort

Any procedure that would be expected to cause more than momentary discomfort in a human and for which a human would receive pain-reducing medications including aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, lidocaine, or prescription medications.
Guide

Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (National Research Council, 2010). See http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/Guide-for-the-Care-and-Use-of-Laboratory-Animals.pdf.
Humane Intervention Criteria

The criteria used for intervention to prevent unnecessary pain and distress. These criteria describe when it is time to either: euthanize an animal to prevent suffering; discontinue a painful procedure or remove an animal from a study; or time to provide adequate veterinary treatment to provide relief.
Hypnosis

Anesthesia produced by placing the patient in a trance-like state.
Hypothermia

Lowering of body temperature, either locally or generally, to a level at which anesthesia occurs.
IACUC

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. The IACUC is responsible for oversight of the Animal Care and Use program and monitoring its compliance with applicable federal and state regulations and appropriate guidelines. See www.research.cornell.edu/iacuc.
IBC – Institutional Biosafety Committee

Cornell University's Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) reviews and approves all research and teaching activities involving the use of biohazardous agents on the Ithaca and Geneva campuses and other sites under the control of Cornell faculty, students and staff. The IBC works to ensure that all research involving biohazardous materials and the facilities used to conduct the research, are in compliance with existing government regulations and applicable University policies.
Investigator

Individual having responsibility for oversight on a project involving the use of vertebrate animals. Typically, the term refers to Principal Investigator, Co-Principal Investigator, Co-Investigator, and Investigator.
IO

Institutional Official. The individual at Cornell who is authorized to commit legally on behalf of the university that the requirements of the Animal Welfare Act and the PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals are met.
Local anesthesia

Loss of sensation in a limited area of the body.
Major surgery

Surgery which penetrates and exposes any body cavity, including the cranium and the perineum (except castration), involves orthopedic surgery, or produces significant impairment of anatomical and/or physiologic function.
Minor surgery

Surgery which does not expose a body cavity and causes little or no physical impairment.
Module 1

The Cornell IACUC term referring to the basic training which is required for all users, care givers, and handlers of animals at Cornell (excluding Cornell Weill Medical College). Module 1 is currently available as a web-based training and must be renewed every five years.
Narcosis

A reversible condition defined as a drug-produced state of sleep accompanied by analgesia.
Neuroleptanalgesia

A state of sedation and analgesia produced by the combined use of a tranquilizer (neuroleptic) and a narcotic analgesic.
Non-surgical procedure

Any procedure preformed on a live animal that does not meet the definitions of surgery, restraint or euthanasia.
Non-survival surgery

Surgery in which the animal is euthanized before recovery from anesthesia.
Observational Studies

Studies in animals are only observed, and not subjected to treatment(s), procedures, or euthanasia.
OLAW

Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare, National Institutes of Health. OLAW has the responsibility for developing, monitoring, and exercising compliance with the Public Health Service Policy. See grants1.nih.gov/grants/olaw/olaw.htm.
ORIA

Office of Research Integrity and Assurance has responsibility for managing, supporting, monitoring, and assessing Cornell’s research compliance programs. See http://www.oria.cornell.edu.
OSP – Office of Sponsored Programs

The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) oversees the administration of sponsored programs at Cornell University including sponsored research, instruction and extension. OSP operates through delegation of authority from the University Board of Trustees as a unit of the Office Vice Provost for Research.
Pain

Awareness of acute or chronic discomfort occurring in varying degrees of severity resulting from injury, disease or emotional distress and evidenced by biological or behavioral changes or both.
Pain and Distress Categories

The USDA has established categories which broadly describe the level of pain or distress that animals are expected to experience. This USDA scale ranges from B (animals held only for breading or observation) to E (animals experiencing significant pain or distress not relieved by analgesics). (See the IACUC Policy - Guidelines for Assigning Animals into USDA Pain and Distress Categories)
Perfusion

The passage of a fluid through a specific organ or an area of the body, often used as a therapeutic measure whereby a drug intended for an isolated part of the body is introduced via the bloodstream.
PHS

Public Health Service. U.S. Public Health Service. Part of the Department of Health and Human Services, which includes the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Food and Drug Administration, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among others. See http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/phspol.htm.
PHS Policy

Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. This policy implements the Health Research Extension Act of 1985. See http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/phspol.htm.
Principal Investigator (PI)

This title identifies the individual responsible for the conduct of the project. This responsibility includes the intellectual conduct of the project, fiscal accountability, administrative aspects, and the project's adherence to relevant policies and regulations.
Project Director

This title is a synonym for Principal Investigator on non-research sponsored programs or for "program-project" grants.
Protocol

A description of the proposed procedures involving any use of animals as required on Cornell University’s protocol for the use of live vertebrate animals. See esirius.research.cornell.edu/esirius/.
Regional anesthesia (nerve block)

Loss of sensation to a large, though limited area of the body.
Restraint

Physical (manual or mechanical) or chemical (anesthetic or tranquilizer not used in conjunction with surgery) means to limit some or all of an animal’s normal movement or behavior.
Sedation

A mild degree of CNS depression in which the animal is awake but calm and free of nervousness.
Surgery

A procedure involving (major) incisions to remove, repair, or replace a part of a body.
Surgical anesthesia

Unconsciousness, accompanied by muscular relaxation to such a degree that surgery can be performed painlessly and without struggling on the part of the animal.
Survival surgery

Surgery in which the animal awakes from surgical anesthesia.
Tranquilization

State of behavioral change in which the animal is relaxed and unconcerned by its surroundings; the animal is often indifferent to minor pain.
USDA

United States Department of Agriculture. See www.aphis.usda.gov/ac/.
USDA-covered Species

USDA regulations pertain to all vertebrates except the following:
• Birds bred for use in research
• Rats of the genus Rattus bred for use in research
• Mice of the genus Mus bred for use in research
• Horses not used for research purposes
The regulations also exclude other farm animals, such as, but not limited to the following:
• Livestock or poultry used or intended for use as food or fiber
• Livestock or poultry used or intended for use for improving animal nutrition, breeding management, or production efficiency, or for improving the quality of food or fiber
Where USDA regulations refer to dogs, the term includes those used for hunting, security, or breeding purposes.
Zoonotic

A disease which can be transmitted between animals and people.