The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee has launched a mandatory, online training course for all university employees and students who work with animals. The course is located at the School of Medicine's Research Compliance Training site, https://secure.lwservers.net/jhmrct, and replaces the monthly investigator training course for animal care and use.

James Owiny, the university's training and regulatory compliance administrator, said the new training course was needed to "bring the university current with recent changes in the regulatory environment and standards of practice" regarding the use of animals for research, teaching and testing.

"We needed to upgrade the old training course," Owiny said. "This new course is very extensive. It covers all the regulatory issues and has an expanded section on occupational health."

Training and instruction of personnel involved in animal care and use is required by federal regulations and public health service policy, and is consistent with the commitment of the university to responsible care and use of laboratory animals. The new online training course is part of the university's efforts to provide continuing education consistent with these goals and obligations. Evidence of course completion is required for approval of research protocols by the IACUC.

All new hires including faculty, staff, fellows and students working with animals must complete the course within three months of becoming affiliated with the university. Individuals who are currently at Hopkins and have not previously taken the investigator training for animal care and use should complete the course in the next three months. All others should complete the training by Aug. 31, 2002.

All individuals working with animals, animal tissues, waste products or bedding are required to enroll in the Animal Exposure Surveillance Program. To do this, go to JHMI's Phipps/Houck Building 3B between 7 a.m and 4 p.m, Monday through Friday. For more information, call James Owiny at 410-955-3273.