Research Enterprise Newsletter - September 2008: Animal Care & Use News
eSirius Open House on September 4
To learn more about the transition to eSirius (see article below), the Office of Research encourages everyone to stop by an eSirius Open House on Thursday, September 4, in the Light Hall North Lobby. Computer stations equipped with eSirius will be set up, information packets will be available and experts will be on hand all day to answer questions. To schedule one-on-one eSirius training, contact Amber Campbell in the Office of Animal Welfare Assurance at 343-3586.
Vanderbilt to Lead in Web-Based Animal Research Processing
On September 15, 2008, Vanderbilt University will become one of the industry leaders in web-based animal research processing. On that date, the Office of Research will launch eSirius, a nationally recognized software system that moves the university from cumbersome paper transactions to a fully-automated, single online business process.
The software tool will enable the more than 450 research scientists at Vanderbilt, known as Principal Investigators or PIs, to write and maintain their animal research documentation all online. These PIs will also be able to check on the status of newly proposed studies throughout the entire review and approval process, all at the click of a button. And once studies are approved, eSirius will enable them to track and monitor changing needs of the study.
eSirius is an extension of the existing computer application, Sirius, currently used by the Division of Animal Care (DAC) and the Office of Animal Welfare Assurance (OAWA). And while Sirius has proven itself a valuable tool, eSirius completes the process by including the entire Animal Care & Use program.
Developed by NTM, Inc., eSirius is a leading provider of software solutions. Over the years, NTM has worked to develop a completely customized product that addresses the specific needs of Vanderbilt's renowned animal research program. As a result, Vanderbilt will operate the most advanced version of eSirius throughout the country.
Through eSirius, veterinarians, PIs, DAC and OAWA staff, and the Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) will have immediate access to the latest information on each animal study, known as a protocol.
Using eSirius, PIs will be able to create, modify and submit protocols; primary and veterinary reviewers will be able to conduct their reviews online; OAWA will coordinate reviewer assignments, compile reviewer questions and recommendations, and send out approvals direct from the eSirius application. And DAC staff will be able to coordinate the entire animal procurement process using this single application. eSirius will also provide the capability to more easily and efficiently generate reports for regulatory agencies as well as internal use.
In addition to creating overall efficiencies in current business practices, the launch of eSirius is expected, over time, to substantially reduce the use of paper by eliminating the need to submit, process and store several hundred reams of paper each year.
