Animal use and facility access requirements are listed below.
When all requirements have been met, contact Comparative Medicine to gain card reader access to the animal facilities. Personnel are not authorized to enter the animal facility, or to have contact with animals, until all training has been completed and confirmed by Comparative Medicine.
CM Offices: 402-559-4034
Part I: IACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee) Requirements
Step 1: Enroll in the AALAS Learning Library for UNMC/ UNO IACUC
Go to the AALAS Learning Library
Click “Enroll Now!”
Select the option "Enroll as an individual in a group, using an ACCESS CODE"
Enter the following Access Code: UNMC/UNO
Choose a username and password and enter your contact information.
You must send an email to iacucora@unmc.edu indicating that you have completed enrollment. Include your name and the associated IACUC protocol number(s) or investigator’s name.
You will receive an email indicating that your request has been approved.
Step 2: Complete the IACUC Basics Course, “Working with the UNMC IACUC”
Go to the AALAS Learning Library and enter your username and password.
If you forget your password, do not create a new one - contact iacucora@unmc.edu
Go to "Libraries"
Choose “Animal Care and Use Courses”
Under “University of Nebraska Medical Center Tracks”, choose “Working with the UNMC/ UNO IACUC”
Click on “Working with the IACUC: non-VA version”
At the bottom of the page, click on “Course” to view materials.
Complete the exam and submit.
Step 3: Send an email to iacucora@unmc.edu , stating that you have passed the exam
Step 4: The PI, or their designee, must submit a Request for Change form to the IACUC to add personnel.
Personnel must be listed on every protocol in which they will work with animals.
Part 2: NetID Account (if you are not a UNMC employee or student)
Step 5: Request a NetID Account If you are not an employee or student at UNMC, a NetID Account is required to access the RSS (Research Support System) and Blackboard to complete your training. UNMC employees and students, proceed to Part 3.
Request a UNMC System ID and Password
Click on “Request a new user account”
Click on “Other”
Click on “I am a guest and need access to Blackboard, the UNMC Library, TIPS, or RSS”
Fill out the form and click “Save”
*When filling out the form, under “Account Details”, “Primary Purpose of the Account”: select “Blackboard”. This will give you access to all programs that you will need.
*You will also need to know your sponsor’s name, email, phone and department.
Step 6: Ask your sponsoring department or Investigator to send an e-mail to: the System Access Department, stating that you need this account to access RSS and Blackboard.
You will receive an ID and password to log onto UNMC’s system. This will allow access to the Confidential Health History Questionnaire and to the Occupational Health and Safety Program located on Blackboard.
If you are having any problems obtaining a NetID Account please call the UNMC help desk at 9-7700.
Part 3: (OHSP) Occupational Health and Safety Program Requirements:
Step 7: Complete the Confidential Health Questionnaire for Employee Health
*In order to complete this form, you must know which species of animal(s) you will be working with. If you do not clearly record this information on the form, your access may be delayed.
Go to Research Support Systems
Enter your UNMC email or NetID username and password.
Go to “Comparative Medicine”
Go to “Animal Contact”
Go to “Form/ renew”
Click “Self Enroll 1”
Complete and submit the form.
*Important Note: Following the on-line submission of the Confidential Health History Questionnaire to the Nebraska Medical Center Employee Health Clinic, medical professionals will perform a Risk Assessment based on the answers provided on the questionnaire. Additional information or medical routines may be requested by medical personnel to complete the required Risk Assessment. This process must be completed before animal access will be authorized.
Step 8: Check for Clearance Status
*Completing the questionnaire does not mean that you have been approved. To check approval status:
Go to Research Support Systems
Enter your UNMC email or NetID username and password.
Go to “Comparative Medicine”
Go to “Animal Contact”
Go to “View Approved”
*If approval is notgranted, you will receive an e-mail instructing you to make an appointment with the Nebraska Medical Center Employee Health Clinic (402-552-3563). Please have the e-mail available when calling Employee Health as it will contain details about further testing requirements. If you have questions regarding your clearance/approval status, please e-mail Kris Hansen-Cain.
Step 9: Enroll for the Occupational Health and Safety Program (OHSP) On-Line Training Module:
Go to Research Support Systems
Enter your UNMC email or NetID username and password.
Go to “Comparative Medicine”
Go to “Animal Contact”
Go to “Training”
Click “Self Enroll 1"
*Note – If you will work with rodents, you may also enroll for Microisolator Training by clicking “Self Enroll 2” at this time (see Step 11).
*It will take a minimum of 24 hours for the system to assign the Blackboard course.
Step 10: Complete the OHSP On-Line Training Module:
Go to Blackboard
Enter your UNMC email or NetID username and password
Under “My Courses” click on “UNMC Occupational Health and Safety Program for Personnel with Animal Contact”:
Click on the link “Occupational Health and Safety Program for Personnel with Animal Contact” to advance
Click on “Click here to view presentation”
Click on “Slide Show” (To forward to next screen, click anywhere on the screen)
When finished, click “Exit Slide Show”
Close the window by clicking on the X at the top corner
Click on > arrow next to “Page 1 of 2” to advance to Page 2 of 2
Click on the words “Click to Launch” to access the Test and a new window will open
Click “Begin” to take the test.
After answering all 10 questions, click “Save and Submit”
Confirm you submission by clicking “OK”
Click the OK on the lower right hand to view your results (click “Yes” in the pop up window)
The test will appear with your answers and score.
Click “OK” after you have reviewed your test results.
If you have any problems accessing the OHSP training, please contact CM: (402) 559-4034 or Email
Part 4: Comparative Medicine Requirements
Step 11: Complete species specific training
Rodents: Microisolator Training Video
If you will be working with mice and/ or rats, you are required to watch this video and take a short test.
To enroll:
Go to Research Support Systems
Enter your UNMC email or NetID username and password.
Go to “Comparative Medicine”
Go to “Animal Contact”
Go to “Training”
Click “Self Enroll 2”
*It will take a minimum of 24 hours for the system to assign the Blackboard course.
To complete training:
Go to Blackboard
Enter your UNMC email or NetID username and password
Under My Courses, click on Microisolator Trainingand follow the directions to watch the video and take the test.
When you have completed this training, please call CM at (402) 559-4034 or Email
Non-Human Primate Training:
If you participate in a protocol that will utilize macaque non-human primates, specific zoonotic disease and safety training is required and will be provided by a Comparative Medicine veterinarian.
First, Category 3 clearance (NHP) must be obtained from Employee Health. Category 3 clearance can be obtained by following Step 7 above (the Confidential Health History Questionnaire).
To schedule training, contact Dr. Noel Johnson at (402) 559-9058 or Dr. Tami Wells at (402) 559-8394.
Sheep/Goats/Cattle Training:
If you are on a protocol that will utilize sheep, goats and/ or cattle, specific zoonotic disease and safety training is required and will be provided by a Comparative Medicine veterinarian.
First, Category 2 (sheep, goats, cattle) clearance must be obtained from Employee Health. Category 3 clearance can be obtained by following Step 7 above (the Confidential Health History Questionnaire).
To schedule training, contact Dr. Noel Johnson at (402) 559-9058 or Dr. Tami Wells at (402) 559-8394.
Step 12: Complete the Animal Facility Walk-through
Contact the following personnel to schedule a facility walk- through:
DRC 1: Connie Arnold (402) 559-4245
DRC 2, Wittson Hall, Eppley Science Hall 5: Theresa Larson (402) 559-4564
DRC, ABSL3: Miriam McCann (402) 559-8395
COD: Marian Schmid: (402) 472-1351
4230 Building: Jane Fesler (402) 559-3225
Step 13: Contact Comparative Medicine to verify that all training is complete and to obtain access.
Additional Safety Training may be required for the use of hazardous agents/ substances in animals:
Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) Requirements:
If the IACUC protocol involves the use of recombinant DNA or infectious biohazardous agents, you must have, or be added to, an approved IBC protocol. Application forms and additional information can be found on the IBC website. If you have questions regarding the IBC approval process, please contact Gail Kotulak at (402) 559-6540.
Operational Safety Protocol (OSP) Requirements:
After applications are submitted to the IACUC, and IBC if necessary, an Operational Safety Protocol must be developed with Comparative Medicine if any hazards are proposed to be used in the animal facilities. These include chemicals, radionuclides, and/or infectious or rDNA biohazards. The OSP is a one page safety document that is posted on the animal housing room entry door to declare that a hazard may be present in the room. Safety procedures that must be followed in the room are defined in this OSP. Please contact Miriam McCann at (402) 559-8395 for information about this requirement.
