Department of Defense Funding Special Considerations
Animal research activities funded by the Department of Defense (DOD) must be reviewed by both the WashU IACUC and the Animal Care and Use Review Office (ACURO). The WashU IACUC review must be completed first. Principal Investigators will use the approved WashU protocol to complete the ACURO Appendix and submit both documents to ACURO for review. Animal work cannot begin until both documents are approved.
Amendments to DOD funded protocols must also be reviewed and approved by ACURO prior to implementation. Investigators will submit amendments to the WashU IACUC via LAMPS. Once approved, the IACUC office will submit the amendment to ACURO on behalf of the PI.
Review Turnaround Time
ACURO will not review a protocol unless the DOD grant is fully funded. ACURO review can take 4-12 weeks depending on staff availability and workload.
Single Funding Source Required
ACURO limits funding to DOD awards only. Animal use protocols describing DOD funded activities cannot include experiments supported by other funding agencies.
Funding Separation
DOD funded animal use protocols with mixed funding approved prior to January 1, 2026 must separate DOD funded activities at the next 3-year renewal. Amendments for mixed funding protocols may be submitted and approved using current SOPs until the 3-year expiration date of the original protocol.
Additional resources are available on the USAMRAD website.