UO investigators doing research with animals will have a new tool to support the institutional animal care and use committee, which ensures that vertebrate animal research is performed responsibly, ethically and occurs in an efficient and compliant manner.

This initiative is the second tool in an integrated suite of digital tools and services known as the Research Administration Portal, designed to support the research community and streamline research administration processes. The first tool supporting human subjects research launched earlier this year in May.

The Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation currently manages several  technology systems, including the current tool used to support investigators conducting animal research. Using an integrated system will better support and enable the UO’s growing research community, research administrators said.

When fully implemented, the system will allow investigators to access multiple activities through one interface. Some features that researchers can expect with the new tool are:

• A single, integrated dashboard to effectively manage all research compliance activities
• Improved visibility as to where a study submission is in the workflow.
• Integration with the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science for easy management of training records and requirements.
• A comprehensive view of research lab teams that includes team members, trainings, studies and more.

"We believe the animal user community will be very happy with this tool and how it will ease their compliance burden,” said Jim Slattery, associate vice president for research operations. “As the full suite is implemented, our research community will appreciate the integration and ease of use.”

The new tool will be available to researchers beginning in early 2022.

For updates about the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee tol implementation project, subscribe to the Research Administration Portal email list by visiting the signup page.