Animal Research CUE Sheet - 05.05.2026
May 05, 2026
Animal CUE Sheet
A bi-monthly (ish) communication from the UMD Animal Care Program with important information to keep you right on cue!
AY25-26 | Issue 7
May 5, 2026
End of the Semester CUE
Congratulations on nearing the end of the Spring 2026 semester!
The animal research endeavor at UMD continues to see positive strides and contributions in the scientific realms of animal care, agriculture, physiology, health and medicine, psychology and more. In addition to saluting the researchers on our campus, we would also like to express our deep appreciation for the animals in our research program, who play an essential role in the scientific advancements made possible by this research.
Top Program Announcements
IACUC Inspections - Spring inspections have concluded and all PIs should have their inspection reports. Reports are processed and delivered to PIs on a rolling basis, but all reports should be returned by May 29, 2026 at the latest! Please contact iacuc@umd.edu if you have not received your report or have any questions.
AAALAC Accreditation - Our triennial Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animals (AAALAC) site visit is coming this Fall (see our 2026 AAALAC Site Visit Information announcement for more details). This requires us to gather information from various animal research stakeholders across campus to produce a Program Description, which is due July 15, 2026. We will be delivering digital packets for PIs to work on later this week. Many of our PIs are familiar with the information requested, but new PIs (and established ones who need a refresher) can email us at iacuc@umd.edu with questions. These will be due by Wednesday, June 10, 2026 so that we have time to put all the data together well in advance in order to have time to reach out and tie up loose ends over the busy Summer season.
Pre-review Modifications Completion Requirement - Over the past year, the IACUC office and Veterinary team have implemented a more rigorous pre-review process aimed at improving the protocols that are seen at full committee and reducing time to approval post committee meeting. Now that this process is fully implemented, the IACUC is now requiring PIs to complete the revisions indicated in the pre-review modifications letter, prior to being placed on the next meeting agenda. If pre-review modifications cannot be addressed promptly, please be prepared to wait for the next month’s meeting for review. If you have questions regarding this process, please reach out to the Director of the Animal Research Compliance Office, Pam Lanford.
Animal Study Protocol Housekeeping
We urge our researchers to check their protocols for the following common errors and oversights:
Do your protocols expire between now and November (especially for teaching protocols!)?
Do you need to add or remove personnel (especially outgoing/incoming students as we change semesters!)?
Do you have any amendments that need to be sent in?
Do you have rooms listed on your protocol that are no longer in use, or do you need to add any?
Meeting Dates
As a reminder, there is no Full IACUC meeting in August. If you need your protocol approved before September, please submit your protocol before June 15, 2026. We will continue to process submissions during this time and the IACUC tries their best to approve protocols as swiftly as possible, but it is more common for protocols to need additional modifications that happen via Designated Member Review. Please factor this additional time into your plans. The remaining Summer meeting dates are listed here, and dates for the Fall semester will be announced soon.
Reminder for Summertime Animal Care
Research and classes continue through the Summer as does daily animal care. If you have students who will be leaving for the Summer or after graduation, you must make arrangements for daily animal care and lab maintenance.
Important Information About DLAR Services
DLAR-managed facilities and animals will receive the same standard of care throughout the Summer.
Animal and Supply Orders: The last day that DLAR will be able to receive animals for the current fiscal year is Friday, June 12, 2026 as the University transitions from the current fiscal year to the next. A University-wide freeze on P-cards will also be in effect from June 19 – June 28, 2026. This effectively means that you will not be able to receive animals or new supplies between June 15 – June 29, 2026. Please make arrangements for supply and animal ordering, as well as supply request pick-up, around these dates as needed.
Additional Holiday Closures: The DLAR business office (ordering, etc.) and the DLAR Imaging Core will also be closed on:
- Memorial Day | Monday, May 25, 2026
- Juneteenth | Friday, June 19, 2026
- Fourth of July | Friday, July 3, 2026
DLAR will not be placing or receiving animal orders on these days, and Supply Request Forms will not be processed. Please make arrangements for supply and animal ordering, as well as supply request pick-up, around these dates as needed.
Only users authorized for self-use of the IVIS Spectrum and Vevo ultrasound will be permitted to schedule imaging sessions during this period. If you have any questions, please contact the imaging core staff at dlaric@umd.edu.
Other News
Lab Safety Updates
Our friends from ESSR have released two new assets that are relevant to some of our animal research community:
- New Waste Anesthetic Gas Awareness Training live on SciShield (UMD login required). This will eventually be required for all gas anesthesia users on campus.
- Autoclave Validation Program Standard
- Controlled Substances Fact Sheet
Important Dates
Spring 2026 PI/Animal User Training Dates. Click buttons below lists to register!
- New PI/Animal User (new PIs, students, assistants, etc.)
- May 5, 2026 at 10 am
- May 6, 2026 at 2:30 pm
- May 15, 2026 at 10 am
- May 19, 2026 at 1:30 pm
- June 3, 2026 at 3 pm
- June 9, 2026 at 11 am
- June 16, 2026 at 11 am
- June 23, 2026 at 12 pm
Register for New PI/Animal User Training
- Non-PI Refresher Animal User Training (required every 3 years)
- May 12, 2026 at 2 pm
- June 4, 2026 at 12 pm
- June 15, 2026 at 11 am
- July 2, 2026 at 9:30 am
Register for Non-PI Refresher Training
- PI-Specific Refresher Animal User Training (required every 3 years)
- May 7, 2026 at 2 pm
- May 18, 2026 at 7:30 am
- June 2, 2026 at 3:30 pm
- June 17, 2026 at 9 am
- June 29, 2026 at 2:30 pm