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Texas A&M UniversityDivision of Research
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About

The division is committed to a truly comprehensive university where students, researchers, and inventors bring scholarship and innovation to bear for the benefit of the community, the state, and the nation.

About the VPR STAFF DIRECTORY

About the Division

Mission Statement

Advancing and strengthening all aspects of the research enterprise.

Senior Administrative Leadership Team

Associate vice presidents, executive directors and directors

Faculty Research Organizations

Council of Principal Investigators and University Research Council

About the Research Enterprise

The Strategic Plan

Download the entire plan or the abbreviated version.

Themes and Sub-themes

Download a packet of fact sheets for details about each.

Highlights (2023)

Gathers and frames data into six foundational categories.

Quicklinks
  • Fact Sheets
  • Research Rankings
  • Feedback
Funding

Seek external funding from governments, non-profits or corporations. Apply for internal grants for interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary projects.

Funding Newsletters

Internal

Advancing Discovery to Market

Nurtures commercial potential of recent discoveries.

Arts & Humanities Fellows Program

Provides multi-year support for scholarship or creative works

Panther RISE Grant Program

Fosters collaboration with Prairie View A&M University.

 
Research Development Fund

Supports strategic investments across the research enterprise.

Research Leadership Fellowship

Develops junior faculty into the next research leaders.

Targeted Proposal Teams

Encourages collaboration across disciplines.

External

Search for Funding

Navigate databases to identify opportunities.

Federal Funding

Explore online access to departments and agencies.

Limited Submissions

Understand how the division identifies and manages these opportunities.

Private Foundations

Consider options for non-profit support.

Proposal Support

Generate applications that compete more effectively for research dollars.

Proposal Development

Research Development Services

Central office providing proposal support, resources, and professional development.

Multidisciplinary Proposal Development

For multidisciplinary funding opportunities.

Early Career Faculty

For researchers launching their portfolios.

Special Strategic Projects

For proposals that align with division priorities.

Proposal Submission

Sponsored Research Services – Getting Started

Master the steps for submitting a successful proposal.

Submission Guidelines

Follow the approve process for pursuing external funding.

Budget Development

Work with a proposal administrator.

Quicklinks
  • Proposal Forms
  • Tutorials
  • Find Your SRS Contact
  • Time and Effort
  • Institutional Letter of Support
  • Cost Rates
  • Limited Submission
  • Research Titles and Staffing
  • iThenticate
  • Hanover Research: Proposal Review
  • Bouvier Grant Group: NIH Proposal Training Courses
Awards & Projects

Get help with starting, managing or closing a project.

Starting a Project

SRS PI Guidebook

Delve into services offered throughout the project cycle.

Contract Negotiations

Protect your interests and Texas A&M’s.

Facilities and Administration

Learn your cost rates.

Project Set-Up

Ensure a project meets all requirements.

Managing a Project

Project Administration

Exercise best practices from establishment to closeout.

Maestro

Streamline project administration.

Informational Sessions

“Answers for You” videos address vital topics and issues.

Project Closeout

Meet the requirements for final technical reports.

Quicklinks
  • Research Compliance
  • Find Your SRS Contact
  • Commercialization
  • Administrative Forms
  • Agreement Forms
  • Developing a Budget
Research Compliance

Understand the laws, rules and regulations for conducting research that is safe, legal and ethical.

Report an Incident / Concern Research Misconduct

Research Compliance and Biosafety

Animal Welfare Program

Gain approval for animal research or teaching at Texas A&M.

Biosafety Program

Obtain consent before initiating research involving biohazards.

Human Research Protection Program

Protect the rights and welfare of participants.

Biosafety Occupational Health Program

Reduce the risk of exposing personnel.

Research Security and Export Controls

High Risk International Activity

Manage the transboundary aspects of your research.

Export Controls

Comply with all U.S. laws and regulations.

Conflict of Interest and Commitment

Disclose all activities outside of Texas A&M.

Time and Effort

Certify for sponsored projects using TimeTraq or certification system.

Quicklinks
  • My IRB Contact
  • Send an email to IRB
  • iRIS Portal
  • Aggie Research Volunteers
  • COI Disclosure / Preapproval Request
  • IRB Submission System
  • Enroll in Biosafety Occupational Health Program
  • Responsible Conduct of Research
  • Visiting Scholars
Research Support

Offers cutting-edge resources, services and facilities to investigators and their teams.

Core Facilities

Provide state-of-the-art instrumentation, technologies and specialized scientific services.

Centers and Institutes

Organize collaborations to take on major challenges.

Comparative Medicine Program

Offers high quality animal care at affordable cost.

Postdoctoral Affairs

Serves postdocs and the faculty who train them.

Research Data Management

Organizes, stores, preserves and shares findings and results.

Resources on Generative AI in Research

Guidance from federal agencies on generative AI in research.

Division Centers, Institutes, and Facilities
  • High Performance Research Computing
  • Microscopy and Imaging Center
  • Materials Characterization Facility
Units

Through its units, the Division of Research delivers strategic support to further Texas A&M’s research mission.

Staff Directory
Research Compliance and Biosafety

Provides guidance in biosafety, animal welfare and human research protection.

Research Development Services

Offers no-cost consultation and training for developing proposals.

Research Security and Export Controls

Helps to safeguard integrity of research and scholarship.

Sponsored Research Services

Works with researchers in the administration of funded projects.

Strategic Initiatives

Coordinates cross-cutting initiatives to advance the research enterprise.

Postdoctoral Affairs

Advances postdoctoral research and career development through support and collaboration.

Quicklinks
  • Comparative Medicine Program
  • Special Strategic Projects
  • Research Misconduct
  • Research Enterprise Business Services (Intranet)
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M Logo
Texas A&M UniversityDivision of Research
  • Aggie Research Volunteers
  • Federal Administration Transition
About

The division is committed to a truly comprehensive university where students, researchers, and inventors bring scholarship and innovation to bear for the benefit of the community, the state, and the nation.

About the VPR STAFF DIRECTORY

About the Division

Mission Statement

Advancing and strengthening all aspects of the research enterprise.

Senior Administrative Leadership Team

Associate vice presidents, executive directors and directors

Faculty Research Organizations

Council of Principal Investigators and University Research Council

About the Research Enterprise

The Strategic Plan

Download the entire plan or the abbreviated version.

Themes and Sub-themes

Download a packet of fact sheets for details about each.

Highlights (2023)

Gathers and frames data into six foundational categories.

Quicklinks
    Fact Sheets
    Research Rankings
    Feedback
Funding

Seek external funding from governments, non-profits or corporations. Apply for internal grants for interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary projects.

Funding Newsletters

Internal

Advancing Discovery to Market

Nurtures commercial potential of recent discoveries.

Arts & Humanities Fellows Program

Provides multi-year support for scholarship or creative works

Panther RISE Grant Program

Fosters collaboration with Prairie View A&M University.

Research Development Fund

Supports strategic investments across the research enterprise.

Research Leadership Fellowship

Develops junior faculty into the next research leaders.

Targeted Proposal Teams

Encourages collaboration across disciplines.

External

Search for Funding

Navigate databases to identify opportunities.

Federal Funding

Explore online access to departments and agencies.

Limited Submissions

Understand how the division identifies and manages these opportunities.

Private Foundations

Consider options for non-profit support.

Proposal Support

Generate applications that compete more effectively for research dollars.

Proposal Development

Research Development Services

Central office providing proposal support, resources, and professional development.

Multidisciplinary Proposal Development

For multidisciplinary funding opportunities.

Early Career Faculty

For researchers launching their portfolios.

Special Strategic Projects

For proposals that align with division priorities.

Proposal Submission

Sponsored Research Services – Getting Started

Master the steps for submitting a successful proposal.

Submission Guidelines

Follow the approve process for pursuing external funding.

Budget Development

Work with a proposal administrator.

Quicklinks
    Proposal Forms
    Tutorials
    Find Your SRS Contact
    Time and Effort
    Institutional Letter of Support
    Cost Rates
    Limited Submission
    Research Titles and Staffing
    iThenticate
    Hanover Research: Proposal Review
    Bouvier Grant Group: NIH Proposal Training Courses
Awards & Projects

Get help with starting, managing or closing a project.

Starting a Project

SRS PI Guidebook

Delve into services offered throughout the project cycle.

Contract Negotiations

Protect your interests and Texas A&M’s.

Facilities and Administration

Learn your cost rates.

Project Set-Up

Ensure a project meets all requirements.

Managing a Project

Project Administration

Exercise best practices from establishment to closeout.

Maestro

Streamline project administration.

Informational Sessions

“Answers for You” videos address vital topics and issues.

Project Closeout

Meet the requirements for final technical reports.

Quicklinks
    Research Compliance
    Find Your SRS Contact
    Commercialization
    Administrative Forms
    Agreement Forms
    Developing a Budget
Research Compliance

Understand the laws, rules and regulations for conducting research that is safe, legal and ethical.

Report an Incident / Concern Research Misconduct

Research Compliance and Biosafety

Animal Welfare Program

Gain approval for animal research or teaching at Texas A&M.

Biosafety Program

Obtain consent before initiating research involving biohazards.

Human Research Protection Program

Protect the rights and welfare of participants.

Biosafety Occupational Health Program

Reduce the risk of exposing personnel.

Research Security and Export Controls

High Risk International Activity

Manage the transboundary aspects of your research.

Export Controls

Comply with all U.S. laws and regulations.

Conflict of Interest and Commitment

Disclose all activities outside of Texas A&M.

Time and Effort

Certify for sponsored projects using TimeTraq or certification system.

Quicklinks
    My IRB Contact
    Send an email to IRB
    iRIS Portal
    Aggie Research Volunteers
    COI Disclosure / Preapproval Request
    IRB Submission System
    Enroll in Biosafety Occupational Health Program
    Responsible Conduct of Research
    Visiting Scholars
Research Support

Offers cutting-edge resources, services and facilities to investigators and their teams.

Core Facilities

Provide state-of-the-art instrumentation, technologies and specialized scientific services.

Centers and Institutes

Organize collaborations to take on major challenges.

Comparative Medicine Program

Offers high quality animal care at affordable cost.

Postdoctoral Affairs

Serves postdocs and the faculty who train them.

Research Data Management

Organizes, stores, preserves and shares findings and results.

Resources on Generative AI in Research

Guidance from federal agencies on generative AI in research.

Division Centers, Institutes, and Facilities
    High Performance Research Computing
    Microscopy and Imaging Center
    Materials Characterization Facility
Units

Through its units, the Division of Research delivers strategic support to further Texas A&M’s research mission.

Staff Directory
Research Compliance and Biosafety

Provides guidance in biosafety, animal welfare and human research protection.

Research Development Services

Offers no-cost consultation and training for developing proposals.

Research Security and Export Controls

Helps to safeguard integrity of research and scholarship.

Sponsored Research Services

Works with researchers in the administration of funded projects.

Strategic Initiatives

Coordinates cross-cutting initiatives to advance the research enterprise.

Postdoctoral Affairs

Advances postdoctoral research and career development through support and collaboration.

Quicklinks
    Comparative Medicine Program
    Special Strategic Projects
    Research Misconduct
    Research Enterprise Business Services (Intranet)
Search
Key Documents
    Memos from the VPR
    iRIS Help Documentation
    Huron IRB Knowledge Center
    My IRB Contact
News and Events
    News
    Federal Administration Transition
    Events Calendar

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Animal Health and Veterinary Care

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  4. Animal Health and Veterinary Care

General

CMP provides environmentally controlled macro- and micro-environments for a variety of laboratory animals. Temperature, humidity, light cycles, space, food, water and bedding are all monitored and maintained within established parameters (NIH Guide, Animal Welfare Act, NRC) appropriate for the species. Sanitation schedules are established to ensure that cages are clean and ammonia levels are minimized.

Veterinary care is available for all animals 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Calls to the CMP administrative number ((979) 845-3800) made after hours, on weekends, and on holidays will be transferred to the on-duty supervisor’s phone.

Protection of Animal Health Status

A number of procedures are instituted into the CMP animal care program to help define, monitor, and control the health status of the animal populations housed within the CMP facilities. All animals to be housed at the CMP facilities must have their health status defined, either through a current animal vendor health report, or through specific testing requested by the CMP staff veterinarians. Specific-pathogen-free (SPF) animal populations are the primary animal populations housed at CMP. The acquisition of animals from sources other than CMP-approved vendors (refer to Animal Orders and Animal Vendors) can be achieved, but must be coordinated through the CMP veterinary staff.

Once animals are housed at a CMP facility, every effort is made to ensure that their health status is maintained or improved. This is done by:

Sentinel Animals

Sentinel animals are provided to act as environmental monitors in animal rooms containing rodent breeding colonies, long term colonies, and colonies receiving tissues that could introduce contamination (i.e. tissue transplants). The sentinel animals are housed in filtered cages. When cages are scheduled to be changed, a small amount of dirty bedding is collected from a (rotated) selected rack of cages and added to the fresh sentinel cage. The sentinel animals are therefore uniformly exposed to any contaminant or pathogen that may be present within the colony. One sentinel animal from each group is sampled quarterly and the serum is tested for common rodent pathogens. Microbiology, parasitology, and histology are performed as deemed appropriate by a veterinary pathologist.

Routine Health Care of Animals

The health status of each animal is monitored on a daily basis by trained CMP personnel. It is also the responsibility of all CMP animal care workers to report any abnormalities or problems that may be observed during routine daily care procedures. These health observations are not meant to replace, but rather to augment, investigator observation and evaluation of project animals.

Reporting Sick Animals

Animals that display clinical illness are reported to the CMP Animal Health supervisor and veterinary staff for assessment. The health concern is described in writing via a Health Check Card or by a notation to the animal record. Investigators are consulted and a treatment strategy is devised. Animal treatments by CMP staff require specific approval from the investigator, except in emergency situations. In extreme cases, if investigative personnel cannot be directly contacted in a timely manner, CMP veterinary staff will determine and institute treatment and/or care.

Emergency Intervention

Emergency intervention by CMP personnel is performed only upon instruction from the CMP veterinary staff. In such an event, every effort is made to contact and consult with the investigator or a designated contact person prior to choosing a treatment /care option.

Animal Records

Individual animal records are maintained on selected species in accordance with federal laws and guidelines. These records provide written documentation of procedures, injections, blood collections, and treatments, and are especially important in providing background information in the event of an animal health problem. Investigators and animal care staff are expected to make entries into these records immediately following any procedures with the animal.

Non-Rodent Species

Individual animal records are maintained for most non-rodent animal species (e.g., swine, dogs, cats, rabbits). Procedures, injections (substance, amount, and route), blood collections (method and amount collected), or treatments (substance, amount, and route of administration) should be recorded.

These animal records are kept in an area where the investigator and animal care staff have easy access to them. Regulations require that records be kept on file and available for review by inspectors for three years after the project is completed. If investigators would like or need information in the records, CMP will provide copies of the records, but originals will remain in the CMP.

Investigative personnel and CMP staff are expected to record all procedures performed on animals in the individual animal records of non-rodent species (dogs, cats, rabbits, swine, etc.). Entries should be made immediately following completion of each event, and should be dated and initialed. Procedures that should be entered in animal records include, but are not limited to:

  • injections or treatments (substance injected, location of injection, route of administration such as IM, SQ, IV, IP or ID and volume injected);
  • blood collections (site of collection and volume collected, along with any problems experienced);
  • anesthesia or tranquilization events (same information as injections should be provided);
  • surgical procedures explained in lay terms, any difficulties experienced or problems anticipated;
  • observations that may indicate an animal health problem;
  • assessment, treatment and resolution of health problems;
  • weights of animals.

Rodent Species

Individual records are not required for rodent species (mice, rats, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs). Most rodent records are managed on a cage basis rather than an individual basis. CMP provides blank white 3×5 cards in each animal room for investigator use (documentation of procedures, identification of groups, etc.). These cards should remain BEHIND the CMP computerized ID cage card or be cut in half so that the CMP computerized ID cage card can be seen. Records of animal health observations and actions are posted on the cage and should remain with the animal in order to assure that an adequate health history is maintained.

CMP Cage Card System

The CMP staff uses a card system on animal cages to identify animals or animal care problems and needs. These cards are stored in the animal rooms for investigator convenience. The use of some cards (noted below) requires direct communication with the area supervisor in addition to posting a card.

On This Page
  • General
  • Protection of Animal Health Status
  • Sentinel Animals
  • Routine Health Care of Animals
  • Reporting Sick Animals
  • Emergency Intervention
  • Animal Records
  • Non-Rodent Species
  • Rodent Species
  • CMP Cage Card System
  • General
  • Protection of Animal Health Status
  • Sentinel Animals
  • Routine Health Care of Animals
  • Reporting Sick Animals
  • Emergency Intervention
  • Animal Records
  • Non-Rodent Species
  • Rodent Species
  • CMP Cage Card System
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