The Wellesley College IACUC provides assistance to investigators in fulfilling their obligations to plan and conduct animal research in accordance with the highest scientific, humane, and ethical principles. The Wellesley College IACUC ensures that all research and teaching protocols using live vertebrate animals are designed and carried out in a humane manner and in compliance with all applicable laws, policies, and guidelines. The Wellesley College IACUC is responsible for reviewing and approving all protocols for research and/or teaching involving live vertebrate animals, ensuring complaince with federal regulations, inspecting animal facilities and laboratories where work with animals is conducted, and overseeing training programs.
The Wellesley College IACUC will:
- Review all proposed activities involving live vertebrate animals in research and teaching at the College.
- Review, investigate, and take appropriate corrective action as needed for all concerns involving the care and use of animals at Wellesley College.
- Review the animal care program using all applicable state and federal regulations as guidance, including inspection of all facilities where work with animals is conducted, at least once every 6 months.
- Prepare reports and make recommendations regarding the animal program, facilities, or personnel training to the Institutional Official (IO) regarding the Animal Care and Use program. Provost Andrew Shennan serves as the Institutional Official.
- Make recommendations to the IO regarding any aspect of the College's animal program, facilities, or personnel.
The Wellesley College Animal Care program is registered with the USDA, assured through the NIH/PHS, and accredited with AAALAC International:
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA):
Customer Number: 145
Registration Number: 14-R-0094
Status: Current
National Institute of Health (NIH) / Public Health Service (PHS):
Assurance Number: D16-00484 (A3840-01)
Status: Current through March 31, 2026
Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC):
File Number: 000632
Status: Continued Full Accreditation since 1983, most recent visit November 2021
Click HERE for IACUC forms and the Wellesley College Animal Handler User Manual (accessible from on-campus only).
Click HERE for IACUC training requirements.