TNJSF Vertebrate Animal and Tissue Policy
Students considering a project that involves vertebrate animals in ANY way, either directly or indirectly,
have a higher level of responsibility and must ensure they are in compliance with all ISEF rules.
Students should download the
ISEF Rules and Guidelines
and read the Vertebrate Animals Rules carefully.
Students who are not prepared to take on this responsibility should choose a different area of research.
Vertebrate animal projects as defined by ISEF
A vertebrate animal study is a scientific research project that involves the use of vertebrate animals, either directly or indirectly.
Vertebrate animals, under ISEF rules, are all nonhuman vertebrates (including fish) at hatching or birth,
live nonhuman mammalian embryos or fetuses, tadpoles, and bird and reptile eggs starting 72 hours prior to hatching.
- Projects conducted at School, Home, or in the Field
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- ISEF has specific rules about the type of studies that may be conducted at a non-regulated research site.
All vertebrate animal studies that do not meet the criteria in Section A must be conducted in a Regulated Research Institution.
- Projects must adhere to the ISEF section on Rules for All Animal Vertebrate Studies.
- Projects must adhere to ISEF Vertebrate Animal Rules Section A.
- Projects must be reviewed and approved by the TNJSF SRC before experimentation begins.
- Projects conducted at a Regulated Research Institution (RRI)
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- Students who worked on ANY part of an institution’s vertebrate animal project for which the animals were euthanized
is subject to the ISEF Vertebrate Animal Rules, regardless of whether or not the student handled the animals directly.
This includes projects doing tissue analysis, data collection, and/or data analysis.
- Projects must adhere to the ISEF section on Rules for All Animal Vertebrate Studies.
- Projects must adhere to ISEF Vertebrate Animal Rules Section B.
- Projects must be reviewed and approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) before experimentation begins.
- We strongly recommend projects also be reviewed and approved by the TNJSF SRC before experimentation begins.
Some protocols permitted in a Regulated Research Institution are not permitted for participation in ISEF;
adherence to RRI rules is necessary but may not be sufficient.
- Students must submit a copy of the IACUC certification with the name of the research institution,
the title of the study, the IACUC approval number and date of IACUC approval.
Vertebrate tissue projects as defined by ISEF
A project is considered a tissue study and not a vertebrate animal study if tissue is obtained from an animal that was
euthanized for a purpose other than the student’s project.
- Projects must adhere to the ISEF rules on Potentially Hazardous Biological Agents (PHBA).
- Projects must adhere to ISEF PHBA Rules Section C.
- Projects must be reviewed and approved by an affiliated fair SRC or an IACUC before experimentation begins.
The initial risk assessment determined by the student researcher and adults supervising the project must be confirmed by the SRC or IACUC.
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Students who obtain tissue from an RRI must submit a copy of the IACUC certification with the name of the research institution,
the title of the study, the IACUC approval number and date of IACUC approval.
To seek prior approval from the TNJSF SRC
- Follow the instructions on the
FAVR Prior Approval page if you are planning summer work.
- You must complete your FAVR record, with all signatures and required documents.
- You must submit the IACUC approval document. Note this also applies to tissue projects and
to projects using vertebrate data, in which case it is the IACUC approval for the institution’s project.
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Submissions for prior approval
in FAVR must include a Mentor Report with all questions answered, especially regarding
the student role in the research. It is also critical that the Research Plan clearly delineates the
work/procedures performed by the mentor and those performed by the student.
(Note that the Mentor Report may be updated later, up to the Clearance Deadline.)
- You must request approval on the FAVR review tab.
If students do not obtain prior approval from the TNJSF SRC
- Students must enter the fair via normal procedures by the Pre-certification Deadline, usually Dec 1 of the year preceding the fair.
The entry must be complete and an SRC review must be requested through FAVR by this deadline.
- You are taking the risk that the SRC might disqualify the project after you have completed the work.