FAQs for Collaborative Animal Research Projects
Collaborative research is defined as an animal research project conducted at another non-MGH institution, either in whole or in part.
Examples might include:
- doing some of the animal research at MGH and transporting the animal to complete the experimental protocol at another site,
- asking a collaborator to do all the animal work described in a grant because of an expertise or model they offer.
Below are some FAQs to assist you on how to approach these situations. Contact the MGH Office of Animal Welfare Assurance (OAWA0 with specific questions about your situation.
When is a MGH protocol required?
An MGH IACUC protocol is required when any live animal work is conducted at MGH. Note, that tissue use may also require MGH IACUC approval.
Do I need an MGH IACUC Protocol if all the live animal work is conducted at a non- MGH site?
No, an MGH IACUC protocol is not required in this circumstance. However, other requirements apply. Review the FAQs and contact the OAWA with questions.
My collaborator is doing an animal experiment. S/he will do a procedure and then ship the animal to me for imaging and sample collection. Do I need an MGH IACUC protocol?
Yes, you need an MGH IACUC protocol for the work conducted at MGH. The MGH protocol will ask you for information about what work will be performed on the animal before its arrival at MGH. You will also be asked to provide a copy of your collaborator’s IACUC protocol and approval letter.
I am performing a procedure on animals at MGH and sending them to a collaborator for the remainder of the animal experiment. I think I need an MGH IACUC protocol for the work I am performing at MGH, correct?
Yes, you need an MGH IACUC protocol for the work you are doing at MGH. The MGH protocol should describe the transport of the animal from MGH to the collaborating site and for what purpose. The protocol will trigger you to provide a copy of the approved protocol and approval letter from your collaborating site’s IACUC.
Apart from the IACUC protocol, is there anything else I need to consider?
Yes, you need to consider the institution you are collaborating with. They must have an OLAW assurance, if regulated animals are involved, they must be registered with the USDA, and MGH preferably collaborates only with other AAALAC-accredited institutions. Please contact the IACUC office with questions. There are also interinstitutional agreement requirements. Please review the FAQs.
Apart from the protocol, what other IACUC documents are needed for research collaborations?
Regulations require that an agreement, memorandum of understanding (MOU), or other contract must be in place to document the relationship between MGH and the collaborating site for live animal work. This is typically captured by a grant subcontract that includes terms and conditions documenting the reliance of one site on another’s IACUC. For example, if you have an MGH grant and there is a subcontract in place for all live animal work conducted at another institution, the grant subcontract will state that MGH will rely on that other institution’s IACUC to oversee the live animal work. This meets the regulatory requirement. If there is no subcontract or other agreement in place between the two institutions, the IACUCs at each institution will typically execute a memorandum of understanding to document the responsibility of each institutional IACUC. Contact Anne Clancy to set up an MOU for collaborative research.
Do the considerations for collaborative research apply when I’m just shipping mice at the request of another investigator? We are expected to share our resources developed under NIH grants.
No. Sharing a mouse strain you have developed at the request of another investigator is not collaborative research. These considerations apply when you and your collaborator are working together on a project or research goal. There may be other considerations, however, e.g. MTAs. You should contact your administrative director to discuss. You should also contact CCM for animal export questions. More Information
A company I am collaborating with has asked me to complete an Interinstitutional Assurance (IIA) at OLAW’s request. What is this and who can help me?
An interinstitutional assurance (IIA) is required when NIH is awarding a grant involving live animal work to an institution who does not have an OLAW assurance. This is typically a smaller biotech who does not have their own animal care and use program, and who collaborates with MGH to perform the live animal work. OLAW will provide the awardee institution (in this case the company) an application form to complete. Anne Clancy can help you with the IIA application form. Please note that we need the MGH IACUC protocol number, PI, and Insight agreement number that applies before we can sign the form. The agreement in Insight should also already be linked to the MGH IACUC protocol to finalize the IIA.
A company I am collaborating with sent me an Animal Welfare Questionnaire (AWQ) to complete. There are many questions asking for a lot of information about the MGH IACUC and CCM facilities. What should I do and who can help me?
This is now a common requirement of biotech companies relying on institutions like MGH to do live animal work on their behalf. It’s part of their regulatory department’s “due diligence” to ensure our program meets their animal welfare standards. Anne Clancy can help you with the AWQ. Please note, IACUC, CCM and other departments sometimes must gather a lot of information to complete these AWQs. It can take up to 2 weeks to complete these. Also, don’t be surprised if the AWQs trigger an on-site evaluation of our program, especially if regulated species are involved. Please provide information on the PI, IACUC protocol, and CCM facility/rooms involved when you forward the AWQ. Please also indicate the experiment/flow chart in the protocol that applies. Including the description of the work in the AWQ before you forward to IACUC is helpful.
When do I need to contact my Facility Veterinarian?
Contact your Facility Veterinarian anytime a collaboration with a regulated species is involved. If an NHP/swine/sheep or other regulated species will be transported to MGH as part of a collaborative research project you must contact your Facility Veterinarian to discuss logistics and veterinary oversight. You should also discuss any plans to transport a regulated species from MGH to another site for collaborative research.
I need to transport animals to/from another site. Who do I contact to get this started?
CCM Tie is your resource!! Please review the following information on the CCM Web site to get started: Please note that all protocols, agreements/IIAs/MOUs, MTAs etc. must be in place prior to initiating an animal transfer. Information about MTAs can be linked to from the CCM animal transfer page.
How long will it take to get the correct paperwork, legal agreements and veterinary approval in place for collaborative research/animal transfer?
This depends on what is already in place between the two institutions, if an MTA is needed, and what resources are available for housing and transportation. For example, local agreements with rodent species may be faster (weeks) than anything involving larger (USDA covered) species that are not local (months). In either case you should plan accordingly and reach out to IACUC/CCM/Innovation in advance for any study, as no animal or material can transfer without the appropriate agreements in place.
What if my collaborator is outside the US?
A Foreign Assurance from OLAW is required for institutions outside the US that will receive PHS funds directly through a grant or contract, or indirectly through a subcontract or when the foreign site is identified as a performance site by MGH in a grant. More information can be found on the OLAW web site: Obtaining an Assurance | OLAW (nih.gov). Other considerations are whether the site meets the regulatory requirements of the MGH program. Please reach out to Anne Clancy. Please collect information on the regulatory framework for the country involved in advance, if possible (ethics committee/IACUC equivalent, Federal, State and local regulatory bodies etc.).