ACS - Archived Newsletters - Issue 9
March 2026
Index
Biomedical Research Awareness Day 2026
Join us for games, prizes, and the annual BRAD webinar on April 16th. It's also an opportunity to connect with your colleagues and enjoy some light snacks and refreshments sponsored by the Animal Tribute Committee.
RAIMS Program Update: Momentum is Building!
Every ACS newsletter will now provide a brief update on the electronic Animal Use Protocol (eAUP) replacement project, part of the broader Research Administration Information Management System (RAIMS) initiative.
We are excited to welcome a new team member, David Keatley, as Project Manager starting March 23. David’s initial task will be leading us through the evaluation of the industry vendors who respond to our RFP which closes on March 24. The successful vendor is expected to be announced by June 2026.
Several ACS stakeholders are already engaged, and broader input from the animal care and use community will be sought as the project progresses.
With these milestones now in motion, we look forward to sharing what’s ahead—stay tuned and follow along on our
RAIMS project page.
General
ACC
New Members Needed! If you believe that you or someone you know could bring valuable insights to the committee, click to find out more!
CALAS/ACSAL Call for Abstracts
The CALAS/ACSAL Symposium, being held in Toronto from June 6-9, 2026, is currently accepting abstracts for poster presentations. This is an opportunity to share research, innovations, or practical experiences related to laboratory animal science, including animal welfare, new technologies, and facility management. Posters will be displayed throughout the symposium, providing presenters with the chance to engage with colleagues and share their work with the broader community. The deadline for submitting abstracts through the online portal is March 27, 2026.
Newsletter Topic Suggestions
Have an idea for something we should cover in a future issue of the newsletter? We’re always looking for topic suggestions, updates, or questions from our community. Feel free to send your ideas or any content feedback to acc@uoguelph.ca.
Compliance and Facilities
Animal Facility Site Visit Series
ACS Veterinary Visits
It is a requirement of the Canadian Association for Laboratory Animal Medicine (CALAM) Standards of Veterinary Care (supported by the CCAC) that a veterinarian complete a minimum of two site visits to all animal holding facilities yearly, preferably when animals are present. At U of G, this requirement is met by having an ACS veterinarian attend each ACC Site Visit(introduced in Issue 7 of the Newsletter) as well as a separately scheduled ACS Veterinary Visit. The ACS Veterinary Visit is an opportunity for the ACS veterinarians to formally check in with the facility on veterinary matters. CALAM provides some details on the requirements for veterinary visits in Section 5 of the CALAM standards.
Veterinary visits are intended to ensure that animal facilities have the veterinary resources to meet animal health needs and bring awareness of any health and welfare concerns to the ACC. During these visits, the veterinarian and facility staff visit animal holding rooms, procedure spaces and drug storage areas. The group will review health history, assessment sheet use and veterinary procedures and equipment. An ACC veterinary visit report is provided to the facility with summarizing observations from the visits, any immediate actions to be taken, suggestions for continuous improvement and commendations ACS veterinarians will connect with each facility to schedule veterinary site visits; the visits may include the facility clinical consulting veterinarian where applicable. Please reach out to acsvets@uoguelph.ca with any questions on this process.
Training
Please refer to the Facility Orientation and Workshop Schedule page on the Animal User Training Program website for all training schedules. For specific guidance on what training you require to work with or care for animals at UofG, contact us at training@uoguelph.ca.
Summer Students - Training Reminder for Principal Investigators/Instructors
Getting ready for summer projects? All incoming team members working on research projects this summer must be listed on AUPs and complete requirements of the Animal User Training Program- CourseLink Core modules, ACS hands-on sessions, facility orientations, and any AUP specific training requirements like Mentor Facilitated Training - before starting work under your AUP.
To avoid delays and keep your summer start‑dates on track, we encourage PIs to reach out to the ACS Training Office (training@uoguelph.ca) early. Our team is here to support you in coordinating training and answering any questions you may have.
Let’s get your summer projects off to a smooth, well-prepared start!
Animal Utilization Protocols
AUP help drop-in sessions held every Wednesday from 1:00-2:30pm in-person with ACS or virtually on Teams. Check out the Interactive Support Sessions for Researchers page for more information.
Going on Leave? ACS wants to hear from you
Principal Investigators/Instructors (PI) who are planning to take a leave are asked to contact ACS at acc@uoguelph.ca in advance of their absence. This allows ACS to confirm that the AUP is in good administrative standing and to discuss the plan for oversight during the leave period, including whether the PI will remain available for communication or if another qualified individual will assume responsibility for AUP-related matters.
If animals remain in a facility during the leave, it is also important to discuss a plan of care and oversight with the facility and keep ACS informed. This ensures that appropriate arrangements are made to support the ongoing care and welfare of the animals should the PI be unavailable.
Student Club Events Involving Live Animals
Student clubs using animals must follow institutional animal care standards which includes having an approved AUP. These events are considered educational opportunities and must go through the Pedagogical Merit Review process. ACS can guide clubs through the required steps, timelines, and documentation to ensure events are compliant and that animal welfare is fully considered throughout the planning process. A club representative should connect with ACS at acc@uoguelph.ca as early as four months in advance of your event.
Community Spotlight
The Descalzi lab studies chronic pain and seeks to understand the mechanisms within the brain that cause acute pain to become chronic. The main goal is to improve the quality of life for both humans and animals, as almost 25% of all humans and animals suffer from recurring pain. They work with female and male C57/BL6 mice to complete this work and take care to ensure that their animals are habituated to being held and to their behavioural testing room. They do this to ensure the mice are not stressed and kept as comfortable as possible when participating in their research. They respect and honour their hard work and sacrifice towards improving the lives of humans and animals. The above photo shows two cage mates who intertwined their tails together while being held by a member of the team during a typical habituation protocol (picture by Danielle Halasz). The second photo shows current members of the Descalzi Lab, enjoying a well-deserved employee appreciation event.
To have your work or a fun photo of your animals highlighted, share it with us. Each issue will include one submission as we champion our community and the amazing animals that make our work possible.
Upcoming Events
March 2026 Wellness@Work Calendar
- March 21-22, 2026
UofG Campus
Free admission
AI in Action on Campus: Learning Exchange
- March 26, 2026
9:30am-4pm
Online via McLaughlin Library
Free
Register here
Biomedical Research Awareness Day
- April 16, 2026
11:30am-1pm
PCH - North Wing
Register here
Compassion and Resilience Project
- April 23, 2026
12-1pm
Meet at CAF for a 45 min walk across campus
Hot beverages and baked goods included at the end
Resource Corner
Contact Us
- Newsletter - acc@uoguelph.ca
- AUP - acc@uoguelph.ca
- Training - training@uoguelph.ca
- Post-Approval Review - accpost@uoguelph.ca
- ACS Veterinarians - acsvets@uoguelph.ca
- Chair of the ACC - chairacc@uoguelph.ca
