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IG019: Off-Campus Antibody Production for PHS/NSF/NASA Funded Research

IACUC Guideline Number: IG019, Approved By: IACUC, Approval Date: 6/13/2024, Version: 5

The generation of custom antibodies involving vertebrate animals is covered by PHS Policy http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/faqs.htm#587.
Antibodies are considered customized if produced using antigen(s) provided by or at the request of the investigator (i.e., not purchased off-the-shelf). 

If Public Health Service (PHS), National Science Foundation (NSF), or National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) money is being spent on the purchase of custom antibodies, the production company must have an Animal Welfare Assurance on file at the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare.

Principal investigators who send antigens for custom antibody production have special responsibilities:

  1. Checking "YES" in the grant face page box regarding use of animals;
  2. Providing the Michigan State University's National Institutes of Health Assurance number D16-00542, A3955-01;
  3. The National Institutes of Health Assurance number of the antibody production service should be provided in the text of the grant, when the service is identified;
  4. Explaining in the text of the grant the rationale for the animal use and the logistical aspects;
  5. Providing the IACUC with the name of the custom antibody producer and their NIH Assurance number on the Animal Use Protocol or the Exemption Form, whichever is applicable.