»Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC)

Use of animals for research is indispensable in developing safe and effective therapies, drugs and devices for human and veterinary use since non-animal models such as computer simulations, and cell cultures cannot completely replicate all the complex processes within a living organism. Typically, novel discoveries are first tested on non-animal models before progressing to the use of animals and finally to human subjects.

An Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is the internal oversight body which ensures that each study has a strong scientific justification, that study designs involve the least number of animals and that animals are handled as compassionately and carefully as possible. As mandated by law, Chapman University’s IACUC includes non-scientists and community members to allow diverse viewpoints in overseeing the institution’s animal research program. The program is a collaborative effort across many stakeholders such as EH&S, Facilities, Strategic Marketing and Communications, and Public Safety.