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Biomedical Research Awareness Day (BRAD) is an opportunity to raise public awareness regarding the roles of animals in biomedical research and the resulting medical advancements that benefit humans and animals.

It is important to know that researchers cannot simply perform animal experiments without oversight. This is where the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) comes into play. The IACUC is responsible for the oversight of animal care and use, and at the �Ƽ��Ӱ�ԭ��, this includes all live vertebrate animals used in research and teaching campus wide.

The IACUC consists of at least five members that includes one veterinarian with training in laboratory animal science and medicine, one practicing scientist with animal research experience, one non-scientist member, and one member not affiliated with the institution other than serving on the IACUC. At the University, we go beyond the minimum to include more than one non-affiliated, non-scientific community members, animal research scientists across colleges and departments, and two trained veterinarians.

The IACUC reviews all proposals that will use live vertebrate animals at the University before the activity is started, reviews any requested changes to these protocols, and ensures that these protocols maintain humane care and use of animals. The IACUC also investigates any reported concerns or complaints regarding the use of animals.

The University is fully accredited by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC), strengthening our commitment to excellence in research integrity and lab animal welfare.

During Biomedical Research and Awareness Day – a worldwide #BRADglobal initiative – you can learn more about the IACUC and the use of animals in biomedical research. Stop by our interactive booth in the Breezeway of the Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center on Thursday, April 18, anytime between 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. At 1 p.m. in the Rotunda, join presenter Matthew Lewon, assistant professor in the Department of Psychology and principal investigator for the University’s Animal Behavior Laboratory, for a lunch-and-learn discussion where you will explore careers available in biomedical research.

We hope you can participate in #BRAD2024 and find time to help us honor, raise awareness of and pledge support for the animals needed to find treatments and cures for both humans and animals.

, an event created by Americans for Medical Progress.

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Bradley Ferguson is an associate professor and graduate program director in the Department of Nutrition. He is currently serving as chair for the �Ƽ��Ӱ�ԭ��’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. In his lab, Brad works with his team to create an exciting and productive environment geared to translate basic discoveries into potential therapies for cardio-metabolic disease. His lab uses an integrative, translational research approach that encompasses bioinformatics, in vitro cell culture, and in vivo animal models.