Welcome

 

 

Mission Statement:

  LARC's Mission is to:

  • Provide quality care for all animals used at the University of California, San Francisco.
  • Assist the faculty in their mission of quality research with respect to the use of laboratory animals.
  • Act as a resource center for the faculty on all issues relating to laboratory animals.
  • Assist the University to meet its goal of humane treatment of laboratory animals.

The Laboratory Animal Resource Center (LARC) of the University of California, San Francisco is administratively part of the Office of Research Services in the Research unit of the University.

 

UCSF AAALAC Accreditation

 

UCSF is very pleased to report that the UCSF animal research program has been independently evaluated by AAALAC International and found to be truly outstanding in all respects.

A six-person team conducted a four-day site visit of UCSF’s animal care and use program, thoroughly examining UCSF campus animal facilities and research protocols. This included meetings with lab members, animal care staff, management, safety professionals, and many others supporting animal research. The AAALAC team was very impressed with everyone’s knowledge and obvious dedication to ensure the utmost in animal welfare and laboratory safety practices.

As of 2025 UCSF has FULL AAALAC ACCREDITATION.

 

For further information about AAALAC International, please visit the AAALAC Website.

 

 

LARC Per Diem Rate Changes:

LARC has a goal to provide excellent laboratory animal care while keeping our per diem prices as low as possible for the research laboratories of whom we provide care for.

Notice of New LARC Rates
UCSF Budget Office has reviewed and approved FY 25-26 LARC recharge rates. New rates will go into effect on 7/01/2025. The new rate table is attached.

Projected Rates FY 26-27
The UCSF Budget Office has requested that LARC rates be recalculated on a regular frequent schedule. Please take into account that the attached rates will increase by 4-5% in the next fiscal year.

 

LARC Recharge Rates FY 25-26

 
Per Diem Rates Unit Current-Effective 7/1/2025

Dog / Swine

per animal

$39.40

Sheep

per animal

$45.69

Primate

per animal

$34.36

Rodents ‐ BSL2/ Immunodeficient / IRQ

per cage

$2.49

Rodent- BSL3 per cage $2.73
USDA-covered rodents per cage $3.10

Rats ‐ Barrier & Conventional

per cage

$2.00

Mice ‐ Barrier & Conventional per cage $1.14

Rabbits / Guinea pigs

per animal

$8.05

Amphibians

per tank

$15.11

Birds

per cage

$5.12

   

Other Rates

   

Surgery ‐ assisted hour

per hour

$545.00

Surgery ‐ unassisted hour

per hour

$114.00

Veterinarian

per hour

$199.00

Complex Surgical Procedures

per hour

$110.00

Vet Nurse/ SRA

per hour

$110.00

Manager/Supervisor per hour $116.00
Animal Tech per hour $68.00

Driver

per hour

$70.00

Commercial Animal ‐ surcharge

all animals

13.3%

 

 

Recent Departmental Publications:

 

Zawacki ZE, Sharpe JA, Porco TC, Lindstrom KE. "Effects of Nesting Material and Housing Parameters on Feed Wastage Behavior in Female Swiss Webster Mice". Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science. 2024;63(5):495-503. doi: 10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-24-000010

 

Kristina Hicks et al. 2021 "Effects of Maternal Fenbendazole on Litter Size, Survival Rate, and Weaning Weight in C57BL/6J Mice" J. Am. Assoc. for Lab. Animal Science. November 2021; 60 (6): 630–636

 

Larry Carbone. 2011. "Pain in Laboratory Animals: The Ethical and Regulatory Imperatives" . PLoS One. September 2011; 6: 9: e21578

Elizabeth T Carbone et al. 2012. "Duration of Action of Sustained-Release Buprenorphine in 2 Strains of Mice J. Am. Assoc. for Lab. Animal Science. November 2012; 51 (6): 815-819

Krista E Lindstrom et al. 2011. "Soiled Bedding Sentinels for the Detection of Fur Mites in Mice" . J. Am. Assoc. for Lab. Animal Science. Jan 2011; 50 (1): 54-60

John Parker et al. 2011. "Effects of Multimodal Analgesia on the Success of Mouse EmbryoTransfer surgery". J. Am. Assoc. for Lab. Animal Science. July 2011; 50 (4): 466-470.

Larry Carbone. 2011. "Pain in Laboratory Animals: The Ethical and Regulatory Imperatives" . PLoS One. September 2011; 6: 9: e21578.

Krista E Lindstrom et al. 2018. "Contaminated Shipping Materials Identified as the Source of Rotaviral Infection of Exported Mice". J. Am. Assoc. for Lab. Animal Science. September 2018; 57 (5): 529-533.