Programs Support

The IACUC Administrators Association meetings and related activities are supported through IAA memberships and event attendance fees.  We ask that you please become a new member or maintain your current membership status (memberships are renewed annually).  If you are a current member of the IAA, you are free to attend webinars at no charge.  Individuals that are non-members or those with expired memberships will be asked to provide $75 in support for each webinar they attend. Please confirm your membership status is current at the following link (Current Membership?) prior to registering for this webinar.

Topic Summary

The IACUC is responsible for investigating allegations of non-compliance and animal welfare reported to the committee. The investigation process is typically a multiple step procedure. During this webinar, Lauren will consider a reported allegation (i.e., scenario), and navigate attendees through the process. She will use an operations focused process, which will allow folks to identify a SOP and critique the process for use and or implementation that can be applied our institutions as applicable.   

Brief Agenda and Discussion Points

1. Brief review of the regulatory requirements for Whistle Blower Policies and subsequent IACUC investigations.

2. Review of the allegation process

3. Review of the IACU investigation process

4. IACUC Sanctions to mitigate future recurrences
5. Reporting requirements

Presenter(s) Biographies

Bill Greer, Assistant Vice President for Research, University of Michigan

Bill graduated from The Pennsylvania State University in 1985 with a degree in Microbiology.  He currently oversees the animal care and use, biosafety, lab safety, controlled substances, and autonomous systems research compliance programs.  His previous roles included the Associate Director for Research Compliance, IACUC Vice-Chair, and Biosafety Committee Chair at The Pennsylvania State University, and the production manager and safety director at Intervet, State College, PA (Formally Tri Bio Laboratories). Bill has overseen animal care and biosafety programs for over 30 years. 

In 2005, he organized and held the very first research administrators Best Practice Meeting, which establish a venue for research oversight professionals to informally meet and discuss programmatic concerns.  He continues to facilitate at least five annual Best Practice meetings covering both biosafety and animal care and use programs.  In 2010, he chaired the founding committee for the non-profit education based IACUC Administrators Association (IAA) and continues to serve as the organization’s president and chair of the board of directors.  Since 2007, Bill has served as ad hoc consultant to AAALAC Council where he performs institutional program reviews, assessments, and status determinations.  He served as a member of the Council of Certified Professional IACUC Administrators (CCPIA).  Bill continues to serve as an educator for the IBC and IACUC Administrative communities and has lectures at multiple venues including PRIM&R, AALAS, BTAA, and C3, as well as facilitates IBC and IACUC Best Practice Meetings.

Ron E. Banks, DVM:  received his veterinary degree from Auburn University’s School of Veterinary Medicine, and retired a Colonel from the United States Army Veterinary Corps.  After postings as the Director, Center for Comparative Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colorado; and Director, Office of Animal Welfare Assurance at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina; and the Director, Division of Comparative Medicine, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; he is currently retired.  Along his professional journey he has contributed as Council Member on AAALAC’s Council on Accreditation; Chairman of the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee; Board Member for the IACUC Administrator’s Association; and Fellow of the National Academies of Practice.  Dr. Banks is board certified with the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine; the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine; and he is a Charter Diplomate of the American College of Animal Welfare.

Lauren Danridge joined the University of Michigan Animal Care & Use Office in September 2017 as the Assistant Director of the new Quality Assurance Program; in January 2018, she was named Associate Director of the Animal Care & Use Office. Lauren came to the University of Michigan from Rutgers University (formerly UMDNJ), where she served as both the Manager and Assistant Manager for Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee Administration. In these roles, she was responsible for managing a variety of administrative processes, including protocol development, processing, and tracking; grant reporting; and the development of multiple systems to assist researchers with protocol compliance and responsible research conduct. She was also a voting member of the IACUC and involved in the overall management of the animal care and use program. Lauren has hands-on basic science research experience, and she also served as a research administrator for basic science departments; assisting faculty with pre- and post-award grant activities, manuscripts, presentations, and protocols. 

As an active contributor to the national animal care and use community, Lauren regularly presents on best practices for IACUC research administration at conferences and higher education institutions. In her role as Associate Director of the Animal Care & Use Office, she supports the Animal Care & Use Program by assisting in the leadership and management of oversight programs for the protection of animals involved in research at the University. Current programmatic goals are to reduce regulatory burden, continue engaging the research community in programmatic improvements, and streamlining business processes to increase efficiency and effectiveness.

Meeting times are in Eastern Standard Time