Protocol Submission, Deadlines and Meeting Dates
For assistance with submitting an Animal Use Protocol (AUP):
- Read the eProtocol Investigator Quick Guides
- See the eProtocol FAQs
- Contact OACU at acuc@berkeley.edu or (510) 642‑8855
ACUC Meeting Dates and Deadlines
| Submission Deadline | Meeting Date | Expiration Date (for de novo AUPs only) |
|---|---|---|
| April 27, 2026 | June 10, 2026 | June 30, 2026 |
| June 29, 2026 | August 19, 2026 | August 31, 2026 |
| July 27, 2026 | September 9, 2026 | September 30, 2026 |
| August 24, 2026 | October 14, 2026 | October 31, 2026 |
| September 28, 2026 | November 4, 2026 | November 30, 2026 |
| October 26, 2026 | December 9, 2026 | December 31, 2026 |
| November 23, 2026 | January 13, 2027 | January 31, 2027 |
| December 28, 2026 | February 10, 2027 | February 28, 2027 |
| January 25, 2027 | March 10, 2027 | March 31, 2027 |
| February 22, 2027 | April 14, 2027 | April 30, 2027 |
| March 29, 2027 | May 12, 2027 | May 31, 2027 |
| April 26, 2027 | June 9, 2027 | June 30, 2027 |
| June 28, 2027 | August 18, 2027 | August 31, 2027 |
| July 26, 2027 | September 8, 2027 | September 30, 2027 |
| August 30, 2027 | October 13, 2027 | October 31, 2027 |
| September 27, 2027 | November 10, 2027 | November 30, 2027 |
| October 25, 2027 | December 8, 2027 | December 31, 2027 |
Protocol Submission
Any individual with Principal Investigator (PI) or Instructor of Record status wishing to use live vertebrate animals in research or teaching must submit an AUP for ACUC review and approval. An AUP describes all uses of live vertebrate animals proposed by an individual Principal Investigator for a three-year period. The AUP must be fully approved by the ACUC before acquisition, housing or use of animals.
IMPORTANT! Research or instruction using vertebrate animals cannot begin until the ACUC has approved the AUP and/or revision. Likewise, if an AUP approval lapses, research or teaching must cease immediately until approval is restored.
Criteria used to determine the type of review a protocol undergoes is described in the ACUC’s Policy on Protocol Review.
New Animal Use Protocol (AUP) Reviews: All new AUPs will be reviewed by Full Committee Review (FCR). AUPs must be submitted by the deadlines above for the ACUC meeting dates.
De novo (Continuing) Reviews: De novo AUPs may be reviewed by the FCR or Designated Member Review (DMR) process. Regardless of the review type, all de novo AUPs must be submitted by deadlines associated with the expiration date of their current AUP (see above).
Amendments: Amendments can be submitted at any time. Amendment submissions are triaged twice a week as eligible for FCR, DMR or Administrative Review.
- FCR Amendments: Amendments that require Full Committee Review will be assigned to an upcoming ACUC Meeting based on the submission deadlines listed above on the FCR Meeting Calendar.
- DMR Amendments: The DMR process take a minimum of one week; however, this timeframe is completely dependent on the response time of the reviewers and PIs.
- Administrative Amendments: The administrative review process takes a minimum of one day; however, this timeframe is completely dependent on the response time of the reviewers and PIs.