Overview

The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation (OVCRI) and its reporting units ensure university compliance with research-related federal, state, and local regulations; promote the ethical and responsible conduct of research; and provide assistance and training to faculty, staff, and students engaged in research to facilitate regulatory compliance. Due to the complexity of many research projects, researchers are likely to interact with multiple compliance units.

Agricultural Animal Care and Use Program (AACUP)

AACUP at the University of Illinois was established in July 2004 and is accredited by the Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC), International. It draws on the expertise of faculty, academic professionals, and veterinarians to promote, deliver, and sustain excellence in agricultural animal care.

The AACUP mission is to:

• ensure high-quality care and promote health and well-being for agricultural animals used in research and teaching;
• provide training, educational resources, consultation, and technical assistance to faculty, students, and staff involved in the care and use of agricultural animals in research and teaching; and
• ensure compliance with laws, regulations, policies, guidelines, and professional standards related to the use of agricultural animals in research and teaching.

Division of Animal Resources (DAR)

DAR—in partnership with the OVCRI, researchers, students, and regulatory agencies—is responsible for ensuring high-quality animal care and for providing training in, and consultation on, the safe, humane use of laboratory animals in research and education in compliance with federal regulations and campus policies.

Division of Research Safety (DRS)

DRS provides guidance and information about general laboratory safety and other research-specific programs including:

• Biological Safety
• Chemical Safety
• Hazardous Material Transportation
• Laser Safety
• Radiological Safety

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)

The USDA Animal Welfare Act and the NIH Public Health Service Policy on the Humane Care and Use of Animals require that institutions conducting research with animals establish an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. IACUC provides oversight and helps ensure compliance with all laws, regulations, and policies governing the care and use of research and teaching animals.

Office for the Protection of Research Subjects (OPRS)

All research involving human subjects conducted at or sponsored by the University of Illinois, whether funded or unfunded and conducted by Illinois faculty or others, must comply with applicable policies for the protection of human subjects. Under a formal assurance made by the University of Illinois and approved by the federal Office for Human Research Protections, and per federal regulations, the Institutional Review Board (IRB) is given broad authority and wide-ranging responsibilities for ensuring the ethical and legal conduct of human subject research at Illinois. The IRB follows widely accepted ethical principles, legally binding federal regulations, campus policies, procedures, practices, and other guidelines in carrying out this important responsibility.

OPRS at Illinois, while performing administrative functions of the IRB, also serves as the official oversight office for human subject research. OPRS is the central point of contact for investigators, research subjects, and regulatory agencies. The office is responsible for organizing and documenting the IRB review process, monitoring research regulations, producing educational programs and materials for faculty and staff, and providing assurance that the Urbana campus is in compliance with federal, state, and campus policies. OPRS is part of the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation. The Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation is the federally authorized institutional individual charged with overseeing human subject research and IRB functions at Illinois.