The Animal Study Lifecycle

Starting Your Animal Study

• Access to the Animal Facility

  To request access to the animal facility, contact your department administrator to fill out the Lab Animal Resources Facility Access/Key Request form.
  Requirements to receive access:

  • Attend the mandatory orientation/training “Introduction to DLAR and How to Function Within  the Vivarium”
  • Be listed as research personnel on an active animal protocol in O.R.C.A.

  Note: UT Police controls access to all areas on campus.
  Your UTHSA badge must be worn at all times.

  Students or POIs (Persons of Interest) are not to have independent access to the vivarium. 
  Student access may be granted only if the above requirements are completed and DLAR obtains written documentation from the mentor as to #1 why the student requires independent access AND #2 the mentor accepts full responsibility for the student while in the vivarium.  The mentor will be responsible for any injuries (including to the animals), damage, or anything that creates a negative impact to the vivarium at large.

  The above policy is in the best interest of the student’s safety (as well as the animals under DLAR care) and of animal research occurring throughout the UT Health San Antonio.

• Procedure Space

  Assignment of Procedure Space
  Procedure space must be requested by the PI, Co-PI or Delegate.  Assignment of space is approved by the DLAR Space Committee. 
  To submit a request use this link to the Online Research Compliance Assistant (ORCA). 

  Reservations for DLAR Procedure Rooms
  Daily use of DLAR procedure rooms may be reserved by contacting the DLAR facility supervisor at each campus or at LAR@uthscsa.edu. 

  • Central Campus - Phone: 210-567-6166
  • North Campus - Phone: 210-562-9070
  • Learn more about DLAR procedure space
• Animal Procurement

  Learn more about animal procurement and transfer procedures

• Veterinary Prescription Drugs and Pharmaceuticals

  Learn more about obtaining veterinary prescription drugs and other prescription pharmaceuticals from DLAR.

• Foreign Collaborations

  UT Health San Antonio Policy

  Collaboration with foreign entities must be approved prior to starting research .

  Disclose foreign collaborations using iDisclose

  In some circumstances, the Health Science Center may be required to obtain prior approval from the appropriate agency before allowing foreign nationals to participate in research, collaborate with a foreign company, or share research results with foreign nationals.

  Learn more about Export Controls

  National Institutes of Health Policy

  The NIH requires recipients of their funding to report foreign activities through documentation of other support, foreign components, and financial conflict of interest to prevent scientific, budgetary, or commitment overlap.  A foreign component is defined as: The existence of any “significant scientific element or segment of a project” outside of the United States.

  Learn more about NIH Foreign Components

• DLAR Frequently Asked Questions

  Learn more about DLAR operations by reviewing the FAQs

• Financial Management Start-up

  Learn more about financial managment