The Comparative Biology Resources Center (CBRC) facilitates the humane care and use of laboratory animals (e.g., mice, rats, hamsters, guinea pigs and rabbits) in research and teaching at the University of Rhode Island.

The CBRC, 75 Lower College Road places all animal orders; maintains inventories of food, bedding, sanitation materials, and clinical supplies; and processes animal care billing to principal investigators. Please call the main office line (401)874-2408 or email gbrackee@uri.edu for further information.

The regular program activities of the LASC Center are to make available the following services to all academic and/or research faculty and staff affiliated with the IACUC and animal use:

• LASC provides complete animal care for all laboratory animals used for research and/or teaching purposes.
• LASC orders (as requested by Investigators), receives and places into appropriate housing all laboratory animals used for research and/or teaching purposes.
• LASC provides complete clinical health care and/or diagnostic services for all laboratory animals under our charge.
• LASC provides consultation (as requested by investigators) on veterinary, regulatory, and/or animal model aspects of laboratory animal use.
• LASC distributes to all interested academic and/or research faculty and staff any current, relevant information of a general nature regarding the proper use of laboratory species.
• LASC distributes specific information to principal investigators regarding current innovations in the area of their individual research interests.

The LASC is required to recover the costs associated with the care of laboratory animals through per diem rates. Per diem rates are based on the cost analysis and recovery procedures delineated in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Cost Analysis and Rate Setting Manual for Animal Research Facilities. Approximately 80% of animal care costs are subsidized by the Division of Research and Economic Development and the individual Colleges. Please contact the Comparative Biology Resources Center gbrakee@uri.edu (401)874-2408 for specific rate information. 

Invoices are processed monthly and charged interdepartmentally to the principal investigator’s Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) project or department chartfield as located on the animal cage card and room census sheet.

For grant writing purposes, assume an annual increase of 3% on these charges. 

For additional species and/or general information, contact the Attending Veterinarian at email CBRC@uri.edu.

Investigators will be charged per diem on acquisitions housed and cared for by the CBRC. All fees and additional services provided in the previous month will be included on the invoice.

Within 10 days of the new month, investigators will be sent by email attachment the prior month’s invoice. Investigators are required to review all charges for accuracy and maintain a valid internal vendor purchase order (blanket) with the CBRC vendor code (URI_CBRC). This mechanism will provide accounting with a valid Chart Field String (CFS) to cover the invoiced charges. CBRC will then submit an internal vouchers (IVC) to accounting to move money from each investigator accounts.

Those accounts identified by accounting with inadequate funds will be sent back to the investigator to correct the issue.

We require investigators to use blanket IVPOs to cover 6 to 12 months of care charges. Each investigator should estimate monthly care charges (for assistance contact Dr. Brackee at gbrackee@uri.edu) and generate the blanket IVPO with adequate funds to cover this time period.

Announcement:  Internal Vendor Purchase Orders (IVPOs) for Animal Care Charges 

As of July 2017, the LASC and RES2 is operating under a new vendor name.

Make all POs for the LASC to “URI_CBRC”.

Make this change when submitting IVPO’s for FY18.

Submitting an IVPO to the CBRC

All investigators requiring the service of the CBRC will be charged per diem rates on a monthly basis off the investigator’s Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) project or department chartfield as located on the animal cage card and room census sheet. Investigators have the option to receive a monthly invoice or be charged directly from their blanket purchase order (PO).

Invoicing Monthly

For investigators who have frequently changing funding sources or who have a limited need for the CBRC, being invoiced monthly can alleviate stress of setting aside funds for animal use. While this method allows for payment flexibility, it does require monthly processing, as opposed to once or twice a year with a blanket PO (see below).

Investigators choosing to be invoiced monthly will have the option of reviewing their bill and submitting their one-time payment via an internal vendor purchase order (IVPO) processed in URI’s PeopleSoft. For information on how to process an IVPO, see the Purchasing Department’s Internal Vendor Requisition manual. The LASC’s vendor name falls under “URI_CBRC”. Be sure to attach your monthly invoice to your requisition for back-up.

Once the requisition has been processed, you will receive a PO. It is required that you provide the Comparative Biology Resources Center a scanned (gbrakee@uri.edu) or faxed copy (874-7832) of this document. Once we have indicated that we have received a copy of the PO, an approver in your office can sign your copy of the PO and send it to the Accounting Department at URI, 75 Lower College Road, Room 103.

Blanket IVPO

Investigators who require long-term animal use and have consistent funding are required to utilize the blanket IVPO. A blanket IVPO is created once or twice a year and monthly service charges from the CBRC will be billed automatically on the Blanket PO. Funds are only removed from the designated chartfield string when a monthly statement has been processed. The investigator is responsible for maintaining a positive balance on the IVPO, however accounting will notify the PI when the blanket IVPO is low on funds and/or expired.

To create a blanket IVPO, submit a request using URI’s PeopleSoft. For information on how to process a blanket IVPO, see the Purchasing Department’s College Requisition for Blanket POs manual. The CBRC’s vendor name falls under “URI_CBRC”. If an estimate for your blanket PO is required, please contact the Comparative Biology Resources Center at (401) 874-2408 for assistance. Estimates are calculated based off of the investigator’s prior usage and predicted future use of CBRC services. Once the college requisition has been processed, you will receive the blanket IVPO. It is required that you provide the Comparative Biology Resources Center a scanned (gbrackee@uri.edu) or faxed copy (874-7832) of this document.

Acquisitions from either CBRC-approved vendors or imports from other universities.

All purchases and acquisition for use must be processed by the CBRC at CBRC@uri.edu. Likewise, all imports must be coordinated through the LARC office, and approved by the Attending Veterinarian prior to shipment.

CRBC-approved vendors include Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (www.criver.com); Envigo, Inc. (www.envigo.com); The Jackson Laboratory (www.jax.org).

Import of animals from other universities and non-approved vendors require approval by the Attending Veterinarian (gbrackee@uri.edu). Submit sentinel health reports from the sending institution to the AV for evaluation of current health status. If known contaminated, CBRC will help arrange for rederivation services from reputable vendor prior to shipment. If suspected clean, CBRC will arrange for quarantine to verify health status on a case-by-case basis.

The CBRC maintains database information, literature, and case reports pertaining to these topics. Best practices and guideline documents have been prepared to assist investigators with these procedures. Contact the Attending Veterinarian and CBRC staff at email CBRC@uri.edu for this information.

• Guidelines for Blood Collection
• Pain Guidelines
• Guidelines for Dosing
• Use of Non-Pharmaceutical Compounds
• Testing of Cell Lines and other Biologics Prior to use 
• Suggestions for Maintaining Appropriate Medical Records
• Anesthetic Gas Scavenging
• Use of Respiratory Protection and other PPE
• Writing a Good Layman’s Summary
• Determination of the Number of Acquisitions Needed in Each Study Group
• Searching the Literature using the Three R’s
• Best Practices when Prolonged Restraint is Necessary
• Immunization and Antibody Production including Ascites Production

Standard Operating Procedures

The Comparative Biology Resources Center (CBRC) has developed an SOP manual that describes the procedures in use for normal CBRC activities. Investigators and staff are encouraged to review the specific SOPs needed for their activities within the vivarium. Knowledge of these procedures is important prior to beginning work at any of the facilities.

The SOP manual is a very valuable tool. It is used to provide training to new staff, to answer specific questions regarding procedures and/or equipment, to demonstrate to inspectors and accreditation site visitors our conduct of the care program, and to catalog procedures for future reference.

Contact the CBRC (CBRC@uri.edu) for this information.

1. Make application to the Rhode Island Department of Health.

a. Fill out Controlled Substances application at:
http://www.health.ri.gov/applications/ControlledSubstances.pdf 

i. At top of form, mark “new application”

ii. for Registration classification mark item “D. Researcher”

iii. for drug schedule mark “2,3,4,5”

iv. mark DEA number as “pending”

v. mail completed application with $100 check to:

                           Angela Phengsavatty
                           Controlled Substances Registration
                           RI Board of Pharmacy
                           Room 103
                           3 Capitol Hill
                           Providence, RI 02908-5097

vi. Contact Angela at 401-222-3855 with questions.

b. Angela will send you the “Tax Payer Status Affidavit” for you to sign and return.

d. Once RI DOH has issued your controlled substance registration, make application to the Federal DEA

2. Make application to Federal DEA

a. Fill out application at Federal DEA website: 
    http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugreg/index.html

b. Select “New Applications Online”

c. Select DEA form 225 “Researchers”

d. Select Business Activity as “Researcher (II-V)”

e. Click “Begin” at bottom of page.

f. Remember to select govt agency so the fee is waived.

3. Federal DEA will contact you by email to acknowledge the receipt of your application.

4. Next, they will require completion of researcher questionnaire sent to you by email.  

Drug Enforcement Administration
New England Field Division Boston Diversion Group
Office # 617-557-2200
Fax # 617-557-2126

5. Once you have obtained the DEA registration certificate, call Rhode Island above to let them know your Federal DEA number to complete your application with RI Dept of Health.