Any research conducted with live animals must be well researched and thought out BEFORE any living creature is touched. This includes insects, snails, fish, birds and mammals. As an undergraduate doing research with a live animal, you are required to meet certain standards. These standards are dictated by the Animal Welfare Act and are administered by the United States Department of Agriculture and it's affiliated offices. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in fines and penalties for the university, including a loss of priviledges to perform research on animals ( over the entire university).
For research with invertebrate species, you must discuss your project with the Course Instructor and Teaching Assistant. This is to ensure that the project you select is scientifically valid and can be answered with the species you have chosen. You need to perform a search of the previously published literature to see if anyone else has done this type of study and if so, how it was done. {"Projects should not be a duplication of research that has already been conducted." - can we leave this out? for projects in 420 i rather not have that as a requirement, duplicating somebody eles's work is be a valid approach in science and repeatability is essential to the scientific method,}
For research with vertebrate species, you must meet the same standards for invertebrate research, but you are also required to complete BGSU's Animal Use Protocol and to discuss your project with the Director of the Animal Facility. This is to ensure that all care is taken for the animals that will be involved in the study. The only type of study with vertebrate species where the protocol and discussion with the Director are waived are for projects that involve observation only (such as watching a species at the zoo, your backyard, in a woods, etc.). Any project which requires manipulation (physically handling the animal) will immediately need to be taken to the Director of Animal Facilities.
As a student of Bowling Green State University you are required to meet all federal, local and institutional standards for animal care - regardless of whether or not the animals you are using belong to the University. These policies are available in the Animal Facility Office (LSC 102) and the Director will be happy to assist you in interpreting them for your individual project.
The protocol form will be reviewed directly by the Director. This is a shortened form of review designed to make it possible for students to receive permission to begin as soon as possible. Normally, protocols are submitted by faculty for review at one of 6 regular meeting of the Institutional animal Care and Use Committee throughout the year.
If you think you want to do an independent project with a vertebrate species, please take a copy of a protocol. When you think you are ready for the Director to review your project, call 2-8753 or email dpax@bgnet.bgsu.edu to set up an appointment. If you have some ideas, but aren't sure if they will work, you can contact the Director (Denise Hook) who will be happy to answer your questions.
last modified: 00/03/02