VA Research and Development 2002 Animal Research Update

1
VA Research and Development2002 Animal Research
Update
Michael T. Fallon, DVM, PhD, dip ACLAM CVMO,
VACO VMO Atlanta
2
Introduction of Dale Conaway, DVM, MS

• B.S. (1978) Animal and Poultry Science and D.V.M.
  (1979) from Tuskegee Institute, M.S. (1985)
  Pathology, CVM, MSU
• 1979-81 Positions Clinician with Humane Society
  of Missouri Vet epidemiologist at Wash Univ St.
  Louis
• 1982-84 Graduate Fellow, Dept of Path, CVM, MSU.
• 1985-88 Postdoctoral fellow Wayne State Schl of
  Med, Dept. of Immunology
• 1988-94 Director, Animal Facility Mich Cancer
  Found, WSU
• 1994-98 Regulatory Affairs Manager, Mich Dept
  Pub Health
• 1998-2001 Manager Equine Drug Testing Animal
  Disease Surveillance Sections Michigan Dept Of
  Agriculture
• 2000 Assumed position of Deputy Regional
  Director, Southern Region Chief Veterinary
  Medical Officer, VA Office of Research Compliance
  Assurance (ORCA)

3
Outline

• Brief overview Where do I fit in at the VA?
• ORCA and ORD relationship and role delineation
• VA Research Budget Outlook for FY2003
• JIT ACORP Reviews
• Hosting non-VA projects in the VMU new guidance
• Highlights New Handbook 1200.7, Use of Animals
  in Research
• New semi-annual forms and minutes template
• ShEEP New procedures for requesting animal
  equipment funds
• Update Web-based training at www.researchtraining
  .org, and AALAS CRADA
• Questions, hopefully answers

4
Office of Research and Development (ORD)
Dir, HSRD
Chief RD Officer (CRDO) James Burris, MD
Dir, Coop Stud.
Dir, Rehab RD
Dir, Med Res Svc
Deputy Under Secretary for Health, Robert H.
Roswell, M.D.,
Med Center
RD Svc
VISN
The Field
Dir, South Ofc
Dir, NE Ofc
Chief Officer , John Mather, MD
Dir, Midwest Ofc
Dir, Western Ofc
Office of Research Compliance and Assessment
(ORCA)
Dir, Mid-Atlantic Ofc
5
ORCA and ORD- Brief Role Delineation

• ORCA
• Develops, implements, evaluates policies and
  procedures to assess VA research
• Conducts for cause and courtesy site visits of
  research programs
• Holds FWAs for stations conducting human research
• Interacts with other regulatory agencies for
  compliance issues

• ORD
• Develops policy and standards for conduct of VA
  research (e.g. Handbooks)
• Provides research guidance and support to
  stations
• Administers peer-review system of funding,
  manages research portfolio
• Administers research infrastructure evaluation
  visits and ShEEP program

6
Outline

• Brief overview Where do I fit in at the VA?
• ORCA and ORD relationship and role delineation
• VA Research Budget Outlook for FY2003
• JIT ACORP Reviews
• Hosting non-VA projects in the VMU new guidance
• Highlights New Handbook 1200.7, Use of Animals
  in Research
• New semi-annual forms and minutes template
• ShEEP New procedures for requesting animal
  equipment funds
• Update Web-based training at www.researchtraining
  .org, and AALAS CRADA
• Questions, hopefully answers

7
Past and Projected VA RD Budget and cc105 Budgets
9
1.9
2.5
1.8
8
2.0
2.0
7
2.0
6
5
4
Total VA RD Bud in millions
Cost Center 105 in millions
3
2
1
0
8
How Does My VMU Get Its Share of cc105 Money in
FY03 from VACO?

• The Variables
• D The yearly average of the competitive station
  funding for FY 2000, FY 2001, and FY 2002 for
  programs which indicated animal use.
• F Veterinarians salary or contract amount. Not
  linked to actual salary or contract cost (amount
  received may be lower than actual).

9
How Does My VMU Get Its Share of cc105 Money in
FY03 from VACO?

• The FY2003 cc105 formula
• CC105
• 0.09 x (D between 175K and 1million)
• 0.04 x (D between 1 and 2 million)
• 0.02 x (D greater than 2 million)
• F

10
How Does My VMU Get Its Share of cc105 Money in
FY03 from VACO?

• The bottom line If your investigators do not
  propose animal use in their VA grants when
  appropriate to do so, you lose from 2 to 9 cents
  on every non-salary dollar they receive.

11
Outline

• Brief overview Where do I fit in at the VA?
• ORCA and ORD relationship and role delineation
• VA Research Budget Outlook for FY2003
• JIT ACORP Reviews
• Hosting non-VA projects in the VMU new guidance
• Highlights New Handbook 1200.7, Use of Animals
  in Research
• New semi-annual forms and minutes template
• ShEEP New procedures for requesting animal
  equipment funds
• Update Web-based training at www.researchtraining
  .org, and AALAS CRADA
• Questions, hopefully answers

12
Just in Time (JIT) Reviews

• Original NIH Concept- because only 20-25 of
  applications actually receive funding, why not
  reduce local administrative work loads and
  require detailed data only on those projects
  selected for funding after scientific peer
  review?
• In 1996 NIH implemented JIT for some budget
  information
• In June 2000 JIT was extended to IRB verification
  letters.
• September 2002- JIT extended to IACUC
  verification letters.

13
Just in Time (JIT) Reviews- VA

• Acknowledging intense field interest, and in the
  interest of harmonizing with NIH policies, ORD
  has now adopted mandatory JIT procedures for
  documentation of committee approval for human
  subjects (IRB), animal subjects (IACUC), and
  biosafety issues (SRS).
• Language covering most medical research is found
  in Handbook 1202.1, Appendix A, paragraphs p(1)
  through (3), page A-17, at http//www.va.gov/resde
  v/directive/ 1202_Merit_Review_Handbook_JIT.doc.

14
Old System
VACO funding decision and funds release
Scientific Section
RD Com.
DEADLINE 1
Complete Application
ACORP
IACUC
JIT System
DEADLINE 1
Scientific Section
RD Com.
VACO funding decision
ACORP
VACO funds release
IACUC
DEADLINE 2
15
Old System
Investigator Angst
VACO funding decision and funds release
Scientific Section
RD Com.
DEADLINE 1
Complete Application
ACORP
IACUC
JIT System
DEADLINE 1
Scientific Section
RD Com.
VACO funding decision
ACORP
VACO funds release
IACUC
DEADLINE 2
16
Old System
IACUC Angst
VACO funding decision and funds release
Scientific Section
RD Com.
DEADLINE 1
Complete Application
ACORP
IACUC
JIT System
DEADLINE 1
Scientific Section
RD Com.
VACO funding decision
ACORP
VACO funds release
IACUC
DEADLINE 2
17
Possible Timeline- JIT System
T0 station notified
DEADLINE 1
Scientific Section
RD Com.
VACO funding decision
ACORP
T0 12 wks approved ACORP due in VACO
T0 16 wks 2 review completed
IACUC
2 vet review of ACORPs
VACO funds release
DEADLINE 2
18
JIT- A Few Important Points

• Stations may continue to require ACORP review
  prior to application submission, but ACORPs may
  not be put into the application.
• Secondary veterinary review will continue as
  before, but only on those ACORPs from projects
  targeted for funding.
• IACUCs will have to maintain high standards, even
  when confronted with investigators who lose
  funding if their ACORP is not approved in time to
  meet the ACORP submission deadline.

19
How Will VA Scientific Review Committees Evaluate
Animal Research?

• Answer- in the absence of an ACORP in the
  application, a new section of the Merit Review
  application must be filled out to give a brief
  description of proposed animal use (questions
  were taken from Section f in NIH Form 398
  application for RO1 applications).

20
How Will VA Scientific Review Committees Evaluate
Animal Research?

• The five questions (abbreviated)
• (1) Provide a detailed description of the
  proposed use of the animals Identify species,
  strains, ages, sex, and numbers of animals to be
  used in the proposed work.
• (2) Justify the use of animals, the choice of
  species, and the numbers to be used
• (3) Provide information on the veterinary care of
  the animals involved.
• (4) Describe the procedures for ensuring that
  discomfort, distress, pain, and injury will be
  limited
• (5) Describe any method of euthanasia

21
Outline

• Brief overview Where do I fit in at the VA?
• ORCA and ORD relationship and role delineation
• VA Research Budget Outlook for FY2003
• JIT ACORP Reviews
• Hosting non-VA projects in the VMU new guidance
• Highlights New Handbook 1200.7, Use of Animals
  in Research
• New semi-annual forms and minutes template
• ShEEP New procedures for requesting animal
  equipment funds
• Update Web-based training at www.researchtraining
  .org, and AALAS CRADA
• Questions, hopefully answers

22
Hosting Projects From Non-VA Entities in the VMU

• This practice has long been encouraged to utilize
  excess VMU space for the mutual benefit of non-VA
  entities and local VA research programs.
• The emergence of revised VA intellectual property
  policy and concern over the potential for unequal
  oversight of non-VA vs. VA projects led to a
  guidance document, which was released in July
  2002.

23
(No Transcript)
24
(No Transcript)
25
(No Transcript)
26
VHA Intellectual Property Handbook 1200.18
2. BACKGROUND Under Executive Order 10096, and
Department of Commerce implementing regulations,
37 C.F.R. Part 501, the Government has the right
to assert a right, title, and interest in and to
all inventions made by any Government employee
during working hours with a contribution by the
Government of facilities, equipment, materials,
funds, or information, or of time or services of
other Government employees on official duty or
which bear a direct relation to or are made in
consequence of the official duties of the
inventor.
27
VHA Intellectual Property Handbook 1200.18
VA recognizes that not all inventors may be
full-time employees. Some may be part-time VA
employees and part-time employees of another
organization such as a university affiliate.
Inventors may also be full-time employees of
another organization granted access to VA
resources (space, supplies, equipment, patients,
etc.) after executing a VA-WOC Appointee
Intellectual Property Agreement see www.vard.org
for specific instructions and form. As a result
of this unique relationship an invention can be
made while the inventor is acting as an employee
of one or both organizations. It is important to
realize that VA determines ownership rights only
to the extent the invention was made in
connection with the inventors VA employment or
with a substantial VA contribution.
28
Outline

• Brief overview Where do I fit in at the VA?
• ORCA and ORD relationship and role delineation
• VA Research Budget Outlook for FY2003
• JIT ACORP Reviews
• Hosting non-VA projects in the VMU new guidance
• Highlights New Handbook 1200.7, Use of Animals
  in Research
• New semi-annual forms and minutes template
• ShEEP New procedures for requesting animal
  equipment funds
• Update Web-based training at www.researchtraining
  .org, and AALAS CRADA
• Questions, hopefully answers

29
Handbook 1200.7

• Replaces old VA M-3 Chapter 12 policy animal
  research, which was last updated in 1989, and
  incorporates Directives issued since then.
• Requires compliance with USDA AWA Regs and PHS
  Policy. In rare cases, goes beyond both.
• Mandates AAALAC accreditation for all VA
  facilities, and use of accredited facilities to
  house VA animals.
• Mandates replacement of all fail-on reheat
  boxes in animal facilities as of July 2002.
• Mandates use of new ACORP as of October 2002.

30
1200.7 The Institutional Official

• Requires Medical Center Director to be IO (as
  wellas CEO) for USDA/PHS/ AAALAC correspondence.
  The ACOS for RD may no longer be designated the
  IO.

Except if the VA uses the affiliates PHS
Assurance or is accredited by AAALAC as a
component of the affiliates program, then an
official at the affiliate must be designated the
IO.
31
Continuing Education

• 5.c.(5) Continuing education. The USDA Animal
  Welfare Act Regulations, PHS Policy and the Guide
  for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals
  mandate training for all personnel who work with
  laboratory animals. This includes the supervisor
  and husbandry care staff. Accordingly, it is
  critical that local funds be allocated for
  continuing education activities by the VMU
  Supervisor and other husbandry staff on an annual
  basis. It is an ethical and professional
  imperative that the VMU Supervisor and other
  caretaker staff continue to learn about advances
  in laboratory animal husbandry and care to ensure
  the highest standards of care for animals and the
  best possible support for animal research
  projects.

32
1200.7 Logistics

• 5.b.(10) Contact with CVMO. If a VMO, VMC, or
  clinical veterinarian has not been able to solve
  local problems impacting the ethical treatment
  and use of animals, he/she may contact the CVMO
  directly to discuss concerns, solicit guidance,
  or seek information without requesting or
  receiving local permission to do so.  
• 5.c.(1) Each facility with an active program of
  animal research must assign the responsibility of
  overseeing daily husbandry and other care duties
  to a single individual No matter what funding
  source is used to pay the supervisors salary,
  the supervisor is responsible for supervising the
  husbandry staff.

33
1200.7 SOPs

• 6.h. Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). The
  VMU Supervisor, with guidance and assistance of
  the VMO or VMC, must develop a manual of standard
  operating procedures (SOP) setting forth
  schedules and methods of cleaning animal housing
  and research areas, feeding and watering
  practices, staff training, equipment maintenance
  and related activities. The SOP must be reviewed
  at least once annually by the VMU supervisor and
  the VMO or VMC to determine the need for any
  changes in procedures. It must also be submitted
  for approval by the IACUC at least once annually.

34
1200.7 IACUC Support

• 6.n. Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
  Activities
•  
• 6.n.(1) It is the responsibility of the
  Medical Center Director to provide adequate
  administrative support for the IACUC, including
  space sufficient to provide privacy for
  conducting sensitive duties related to animal
  subjects involved in research, and personnel to
  support the review and record-keeping functions
  of the IACUC, to include timely preparation of
  minutes and timely preparation of investigator
  correspondence and other documents.

35
1200.7 Using Joint IACUCs

• 6.n.(3)(a) The affiliates IACUC must agree to
  provide copies of IACUC minutes, semi-annual
  IACUC reports, AAALAC correspondence, USDA
  correspondence, copies of IACUC files on VA
  investigatorsin their entirety  
• 6.n.(3)(b) The VMO or VMC and at least one
  other VA scientist with animal research
  experience must sit on the affiliates IACUC as
  voting members 
• 6.n.(3)(c) The affiliates IACUC must agree to
  review the VA animal facility and program
• 6.n.(3)(d) The affiliates IACUC must agree to
  review the VA ACORP for VA applications

36
1200.7 ACOS and AO for RD

• 6.n.(7)(a) The ACOS/RD and AO/RD should not
  serve as voting members on the IACUC, and when in
  attendance, should be very sensitive to the
  occurrence or appearance of conflict of interest
  relative to their supervisory, management, and
  fiscal authority.

37
1200.7 Semi-Annual Reviews

• 6.n.(10)(a)2. The semi-annual self-review must
  include all facilities and investigator areas
  where laboratory animals purchased with local VA
  funds are used... If a formal arrangement has
  been made between the VA IACUC and a satellite or
  affiliates facility, the VA IACUC may review
  that facilitys semi-annual self-assessment as an
  IACUC business item in lieu of sending a VA IACUC
  review team to the facility. If the VA IACUC
  does not set up such an agreement, the other
  facility and its animal care and use program must
  be evaluated, and a report of that facilitys
  evaluation included as part of the semi-annual
  self-review

38
1200.7 Semi-Annual Reviews

•   6.n.(10)(a)4. A standard VA IACUC Program and
  Facility Self-Assessment Form, the OLAW
  Semiannual Program and Facility Review checklist,
  or a similar form incorporating all the elements
  in the standard VA IACUC Program and Facility
  Self-Assessment Form should be completed within a
  month of the self-review. Whichever form is
  used, the following must appear in the report

39
1200.7 Semi-Annual Reviews

• 6.n.(10)(a)4.e. At least three IACUC members
  should conduct the program review, unless
  exceptional circumstances prevent such
  attendance. All members of the IACUC are
  strongly encouraged to participate in the
  self-assessment, but the review team must include
  at least two voting members of the IACUC.
  Attendance by the lay and non-affiliated members
  is especially encouraged.

40
1200.7 Semi-Annual Reviews

• 6.n.(10)(a)5. After a majority of all voting
  IACUC members has voted to approve the report and
  has indicated their approval by signatures next
  to their typed names and roles on the committee,
  the report should be discussed with the Medical
  Center Director by the VMO/VMC, the IACUC Chair,
  and the ACOS/RD. The Medical Center Director
  must sign the reporting indicating that he/she
  has reviewed it. Once the Medical Center
  Director has signed the report, it must be sent
  to the CVMO through the Medical Center Director
  within 60 days of the self-review date. A copy
  should also be sent to the local RD Committee
  for review, but RD Committee approval is not
  needed before the document is sent to the CVMO
  through the Medical Center Director.

41
Outline

• Brief overview Where do I fit in at the VA?
• ORCA and ORD relationship and role delineation
• VA Research Budget Outlook for FY2003
• JIT ACORP Reviews
• Hosting non-VA projects in the VMU new guidance
• Highlights New Handbook 1200.7, Use of Animals
  in Research
• New semi-annual forms and minutes template
• ShEEP New procedures for requesting animal
  equipment funds
• Update Web-based training at www.researchtraining
  .org, and AALAS CRADA
• Questions, hopefully answers

42
Old VA IACUC Semi-Annual Report Form No Longer
Compliant

• New draft form available for download at
  www.researchtraining.org in animal research
  documents area.
• Form has three parts

43
(No Transcript)
44
(No Transcript)
45
(No Transcript)
46
VA IACUC Minutes Template- Helps Comply with
1200.7
47
Outline

• Brief overview Where do I fit in at the VA?
• ORCA and ORD relationship and role delineation
• VA Research Budget Outlook for FY2003
• JIT ACORP Reviews
• Hosting non-VA projects in the VMU new guidance
• Highlights New Handbook 1200.7, Use of Animals
  in Research
• New semi-annual forms and minutes template
• ShEEP New procedures for requesting animal
  equipment funds
• Update Web-based training at www.researchtraining
  .org, and AALAS CRADA
• Questions, hopefully answers

48
Obtaining VA Animal Facility Equipment

• Replaced Animal Facility Equipment Committee
  mechanism of outright equipment grants
• ShEEP applications due October 15th each year
• Instructions found in Handbook 1202.6
• Reviewed by the following January 15th
• May involve a site visit to evaluate local
  facility and program infrastructure prior to
  funding decision

Sh
ared
E
quipment
E
valuation
P
rogram
49
(No Transcript)
50
FY02 ShEEP Program
51
Outline

• Brief overview Where do I fit in at the VA?
• ORCA and ORD relationship and role delineation
• VA Research Budget Outlook for FY2003
• JIT ACORP Reviews
• Hosting non-VA projects in the VMU new guidance
• Highlights New Handbook 1200.7, Use of Animals
  in Research
• New semi-annual forms and minutes template
• ShEEP New procedures for requesting animal
  equipment funds
• Update Web-based training at www.researchtraining
  .org, and AALAS CRADA
• Questions, hopefully answers

52
Challenges to Meeting Training Mandates

• Research staff are very busy, and very difficult
  to get together in one room for traditional
  instructor-led training, even when bribed with
  free food.
• Exclusive use of instructor-led training is very
  expensive.

• Documentation of training is crucial, but very
  labor-intensive when done on paper.

53
Potential Benefits of Web-Based Training

• Staff can go through courses at their own pace,
  and when it is convenient for them- at work or
  home.
• Trainer expertise can be utilized to construct
  courses that cover standard material in an
  organized, consistent fashion. This can free
  trainers to provide specialized, targeted
  training to meet most pressing needs.
• Self-administered exams can be used to document
  training, and records can be maintained on the
  web server to reduce admin burden.

54
ResearchTraining.Org

• Continuing funding provided by VA Medical
  Research Service to help stations meet research
  training mandates.
• Philosophy- offer convenient high quality
  web-based training to foster compliance with
  training mandates.
• Administrative goal- shift burden of documenting
  training to the web server.

55
Process

• Research staff members (users) logs into
  course/exam site via internet

• Users take course, then pass exam covering course
  material

• Web server stores course name, exam score, and
  date exam passed

• Administrators log into administration site to
  view exam records or print lists of exam records
  for documentation

56
Use of Exams to Document Training Participation

• Users shown practice questions at the end of
  course lessons that form the exam Q pool.
• There is no limit to the number of times a user
  may take an exam, but the exam is randomly
  generated so that for each course exam
• The questions and order of questions change.
• The location of the correct answer and locator
  order of responses changes for each question.
• Exam questions are written to be difficult enough
  so that course material must be retained to pass.

57
Web Courses with Exams- Now Available

• Working with the VA IACUC. 26 lessons.
• 1 audience research staff who utilize animals
• 2 audience IACUC members, veterinarians, and
  husbandry staff, interested administrators
• Essentials for IACUC Members. 24 lessons.
• 1 audience IACUC members (incl.
  veterinarians)
• 2 audience interested administrators and
  husbandry staff
• Avoiding Financial Conflict of Interest in
  Federal Research. 12 lessons. Authored by Mr.
  Bert DiBella, VA OGC, Ethics Group
• 1 audience principal investigators,
  administrators

58
Exams for Videotapes/CD-ROM Courses

• Working with the Laboratory Dog (exams covering
  basic material via streaming videotape and
  advanced material on CD-ROMs available free to VA
  stations from CVMOs office).
• 1 audience research staff who utilize dogs,
  husbandry staff
• 2 audience IACUC members, veterinarians
• Working Safely with Laboratory Primates (exam
  covering material on streaming videotape
  streaming tape provided courtesy of OLAW in PHS)
• 1 audience research staff who utilize
  primates, husbandry staff
• 2 audience IACUC members, veterinarians

59
Web Courses Under Development- December 2002
Release

• Annual Laboratory Safety Refresher Course.
  Developed by Vivian Avella-Diaz, Atlanta VAMC
  Biosafety Officer. Under review by Dr. Robbins
  and her staff at VACO before VA-wide release.
• Audience all laboratory research staff
• Use of Mice (Rats, Guinea Pigs, Hamsters,
  Rabbits, Dogs, Cats, Pigs) in Research.
• Audience principal investigators, and research
  and husbandry staff who utilize the species
  listed in research

60
Web Courses Under Development- 2003

• Research Involving Human Subjects
• Blood-Borne Pathogens

• Other- We are looking for volunteers to work on
  courses that would be of wide interest to the VA
  and greater research community, including courses
  on research/budget administration!

61
Our Long-Term Training Goal- One Stop Shopping
for Research Training
Laboratory Safety and Biosafety
Animal Subject Research
Research Administration
Human Subject Research
Responsible Conduct of Research
62
WWW.RESEARCHTRAINING.ORG How it Works
Content Experts
Research staff and committee members
Research Administrators
Document staff participation
Create or customize courses exams
Take web courses exams
63
Site Walk-Through
64
For Research Staff/Committee Members
65
New users follow directions and click here
66
Choose the correct VA Medical Center, then click
button
67
Fill in info requested by local administrators,
then click Submit
68
The selected username and institution are shown
above the Main Menu
Click to see available web courses and exams
69
Click to take a course
70
Simple navigation aids are used to move through
the course
As lessons are completed, dots mark progress
through course
71
Practice questions appear at end of lessons
Users get feedback to help learning
72
Click on exam link take the course exam
73
Progress in exam is tracked
Simple navigation aids are used to move through
the exam
74
The exam is then tallied for immediate feedback
Answers to incorrect Qs are shown
75
Time to print a completion certificate!
76
The certificate is printed with the browser print
function, and includes the date, name,
institution, and course number. It can be used
with IACUC or other committee records to document
training in files.
Each certificate has unique control number to
discourage use of a single certificate by
multiple people
77
For Administrators Who Need to Document Training
78
After logging into Administration area, there are
many options. One option is to view exam records
79
Training documentation reports are simple to
create yet very flexible.
80
Decide which users, which courses, what time
frame, and what information you want to see.
81
Print a certificate for a committee file
Output can be put into a printable format or
downloaded to a spreadsheet.
82
Access to courses and exams can be easily set
83
Decide what courses and exams you want your staff
to see.
84
For Training Coordinators and Other Content
Experts- Customize Existing Courses or Create New
Ones
85
For editing, course are displayed in rows. To
edit a page, click first on the lesson link.
Lets look at Essentials for IACUC Members.
86
The lessons in the course now display. To edit a
page in lesson 2, choose the pages link for
lesson 2
87
The pages in lesson 2 now display. To choose
page 6, Whistleblower Provisions click on the
Edit link.
88
The HTML code can then be edited, and pictures or
references added.
89
Returning to the Lessons Table, click in the
"Questions" column to edit the exam questions for
Lesson 2.
90
To edit a question, click in the appropriate row
in the edit column.
91
The stem, key, distractors, and question
difficulty value can be edited, and a graphic or
picture added to the question.
92
Questions can be added in 7 different formats
93
Cumulative and New Site Registrations
Cumulative User Registrations
Monthly New Registrations
1/2002
1/2001
6/2001
6/2002
94
Additional Information

• Due to support of VA MRS, site usage is free to
  VA as well as non-VA institutions
• A recent CRADA with AALAS gives them use of the
  software for their web-based training initiative
  in exchange for 400 accounts for VA husbandry and
  technician staff on the AALAS website
• Licensing options for private companies available
  through CRADA. Proceeds will go toward further
  site development
• A much higher capacity web server will be
  utilized shortly to keep page load speeds high

95
Questions