Campus Resources
ARC Applications

 
How Long Will My Application Take to Be Reviewed?

The length of time you can expect from submission to approval is dependent upon many factors, including the complexity of the application, the number and nature of changes proposed (if amending a previously approved protocol), the ARC's meeting schedule, and whether the application is eligible for review via Designated Member Review (see section entitled "The Review Process" below).

Turnaround times for new and renewal applications average approximately 6 weeks from submission to approval.  For renewal applications, investigators are strongly encouraged to begin working on their applications as soon as possible after receiving their first (90-day) expiration reminder notice.

Amendment and continuation applications requesting significant changes (e.g., experimental design, animal number or species/strain) average approximately 5 weeks from submission to approval.

Amendment applications requesting minor/administrative changes (e.g., personnel, locations, funding) are generally approved within 7-10 days of submission, assuming no outstanding issues such as personnel who have not completed all ARC certification requirements or grant-protocol congruency issues (e.g., procedures described in the grant application that are not described in the protocol).

Continuation applications requesting no changes are generally ready for approval within 2 weeks of submission.  However, in an effort to not penalize investigators who submit their applications early and who would otherwise lose a substantial amount of time from their current approval period, these applications are normally held for review until within 1 month of expiration.

Investigators with an urgent funding issue or who need ARC approval for experimental changes quickly should notify the Office of Animal Research Oversight as soon as possible.

ARC Submission Deadline

Applications must be submitted to the ARC no later than the submission deadline. The ARC usually convenes twice per month, and the deadline for submission is generally 17 calendar days prior to a meeting. (Meeting times and deadlines are subject to change and will be promptly posted online if any changes are necessary.)

Online Protocol Submission (RATS)

For guidance in using the ARC's Research Application Tracking System (RATS), please refer to the RATS Desktop Guide, Tutorial, and Frequently Asked Questions.

If you are a new investigator and have not yet submitted a protocol using RATS, a sample protocol is available to help you become familiar with the application format.

Questions?  Please contact the Office of Animal Research Oversight (OARO) at 310- 206-6308 or oaro@research.ucla.edu if you have any questions.

Eligibility as Principal Investigator

To determine your eligibility to serve as Principal Investigator of a research protocol, please refer to UCLA Policy 900 (Principal Investigator Eligibility) or contact OARO (310-206-6308). If the terms of Policy 900 are not met, faculty sponsorship or principal investigatorship by a UCLA employee with faculty appointment may be required.

Veterinary Consultation

Federal regulations require that the attending veterinarian or his/her designee be consulted when planning studies that may cause more than momentary of slight pain or distress to the animals.  Veterinarian consultation is also required when planning research or procedural changes that may result in more than momentary or slight pain or distress to animals.  Please contact a DLAM Veterinarian to schedule a consultation.

Pre-Committee Review

For most new, renewal, and continuation applications, as well as amendments with significant changes (e.g., experimental procedures, number of animals, method of euthanasia, animal species and/or strain, pain category), a Pre-Committee Review of your application prior to submission to the ARC is required. This pre-review process is designed to address animal care issues and ensure completeness of your application prior to Committee review.

Note! A Pre-Committee Review is not required for the following types of applications:
  • All applications requesting approval for experiments conducted entirely at another institution
  • All applications requesting approval for sharing of animal tissues only
  • Amendment applications requesting changes in Principal Investigator, Co-Investigator, personnel, funding, location, and/or protocol title only
Please note that Pre-Committee Review must be completed and subsequent modifications made to your application prior to submission to the ARC.  Early submission of your application for Pre-Committee Review is therefore strongly advised in order to meet the ARC submission deadlines. If recommended changes are not incorporated into the application, the principal investigator must provide explanations in the final application to be submitted to the ARC. If Pre-Committee Review comments are not incorporated or addressed in your application prior to submission to the ARC, the protocol will not be reviewed by the Committee, and your application will be returned to you.    

To submit applications to for Pre-Committee Review via RATS, click on "Submit for Pre-Review" at the bottom of the menu.  

The Review Process

Federal regulations allow for two types of review of animal use protocols:  Full Committee Review (FCR) and Designated Member Review (DMR).

Full Committee Review (FCR), as its name suggests, involves review of an application at a convened meeting with a quorum (majority of voting members) present.  The Committee has the authority to approve, require modifications to secure approval, or withhold approval of an application.  Any such decision is based on a majority vote of the members present.

Designated Member Review (DMR): The DMR process is somewhat more complicated.  Briefly, a list of applications eligible for DMR is distributed to all ARC members, and any member can call for FCR of any application.  If no member requests FCR, the Chair designates one or more reviewers who have the authority to approve the application or require modifications to secure approval.  The Designated Reviewer does not have the authority to withhold approval of an application; any protocol with serious concerns must be presented to the Full Committee for further discussion.

The DMR process is intended to allow the Committee to devote more time during convened meetings to protocols warranting greater discussion, such as proposals involving more invasive or more painful procedures.  Protocols that involve minimal potential for pain/distress (e.g., euthanasia of animals for tissue harvest only) or that do not involve substantial modifications (e.g., continuation applications with no significant changes) are more likely to be reviewed through DMR. However, review through DMR is no less thorough than review through FCR.

Committee members are notified of applications eligible for DMR once per week.  While this process can often allow a quicker turnaround time than review via FCR, DMR is not the same as the "expedited review" process permitted for review of certain human research proposals.  It is also important to note that assignment to DMR does not guarantee that an application will not be referred to FCR.

Administrative Review: Amendment applications to existing protocols that involve certain changes not considered significant (e.g., addition of a new funding source, changes in personnel, use of a new vivarium housing location) can be reviewed administratively.  Typically, the turnaround time for applications undergoing administrative review ranges from a few days to a week.

As always, please contact the Office of Animal Research Oversight (x66308) with your questions or concerns about the review process, as well as appropriate timelines for processing applications prior to grant deadlines or lapse in ARC approval.

ARC Certification

ARC policy mandates that all personnel having direct contact with live vertebrate animals must obtain ARC certification prior to initiating work with laboratory animals.

Supplemental Forms

  • UCLA Medical History Questionnaire Form (MHQ)
The UCLA Medical History Questionnaire for Investigators, Technicians, Students and All Others Exposed to Laboratory Animals must be completed by all investigators and personnel who are listed in an ARC protocol. In accordance with University Policy, completion of this form is mandatory for all personnel having contact with research animals or animal tissues and all personnel who have a security key card or key to enter the vivarium.  Please note that the MHQ must be submitted on an ANNUAL basis.

Forms can be completed online at the above address.  If you have questions regarding the form, please contact OHF at (310) 825-6771. In lieu of submitting the Medical History Questionnaire (MHQ) form, visitors may complete the MHQ Waiver Form provided they: 1) are not UCLA faculty, staff or students and 2) will only have transient contact with animals or animal or human tissue for a period of time not to exceed 3 days.  All others must complete the MHQ.   The NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules requires that all transgenic rodents used, housed, or constructed at UCLA be registered with the UCLA Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC).  

Please complete Appendix D - Registration of Transgenic Animals and return it to:

Biosafety Officer Rowelle Enriquez
Office of Environment, Health, and Safety (EH&S)
501 Westwood Plaza, 4th Floor
160508

These applications will be reviewed by the Biosafety Officer and the IBC Chair to determine if a full IBC review is required. Upon IBC approval, a letter of approval will be issued to the principal investigator indicating the biosafety level of containment required for housing and handling the transgenic rodents.

VA/UCLA Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

The VA/UCLA Memorandum of Understanding Regarding Care and Use of Laboratory Animal Subjects describes the procedures for review of UCLA-sponsored research studies conducted at the VA Greater Los Angeles Heatlhcare System (VAGLAHS), and VA-sponsored research studies conducted at UCLA.

How to Write an Application Involving Research Animals

Developed by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), in conjunction with the NIH Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW), this tutorial provides a step by step guide to the preparation of an application and covers such topics as considering alternatives, obtaining assurances and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) approval, Just-In-Time processes, NIH review of animal subjects applications, grant awards, IACUC monitoring of awards, and reporting requirements.

Although designed specifically for NIAID applicants, the information is relevant to any investigator submitting an application to the NIH for an activity involving animals.