Approval & Initiation - Access

To request access to the animal facility, contact your department administrator to submit an LAR Card Access request and/or a LAR Key request.

Requirements to receive access:

• Attend the mandatory orientation/training “Introduction to DLAR and How to Function Within  the Vivarium”
• Be listed as research personnel on an active animal protocol in O.R.C.A.

Note: UT Police controls access to all areas on campus.
Your UTHSA badge must be worn at all times.

Students or POIs (Persons of Interest) are not to have independent access to the vivarium. 
Student access may be granted only if the above requirements are completed and DLAR obtains written documentation from the mentor as to #1 why the student requires independent access AND #2 the mentor accepts full responsibility for the student while in the vivarium.  The mentor will be responsible for any injuries (including to the animals), damage, or anything that creates a negative impact to the vivarium at large.

The above policy is in the best interest of the student’s safety (as well as the animals under DLAR care) and of animal research occurring throughout the UT Health San Antonio.

Animal Housing Space
Animal housing space may be requested from the DLAR Space Committee. 
The new procedure space request form is available through O.R.C.A. – Online Research Compliance Assistant. 

To submit the New Procedure Space request in O.R.C.A. you must be the PI, Co-PI, or a Delegate to initiate the request.
The DLAR Space Committee will meet and discuss the submitted requests.

Procedure Space Access
DLAR procedure room space may be reserved for use for protocol experiments.  
To reserve a procedure room, you may contact the DLAR facility supervisor at each campus or at LAR@uthscsa.edu. 

• Central Campus - Phone: 210-567-6166
• North Campus - Phone: 210-562-9070
• TRP Campus - Phone: 210-562-5077

UTHSC Employees
Login to ORCA using your Health Science Center email and password. UTHSC employees should not register to create an account.

Non-UTHSC Employees
Go to ORCA and click the Register link. Complete and submit the VPR Account Sign-Up information. A confirmation code will be provided to you via a registration email.

Users having trouble with ORCA access should contact the VPR IT Team for assistance: vpr-it@uthscsa.edu

Link to Velos Work Instructions for Research Team
Velos eResearch is the Institutions Clinical Trial Management System (CTMS), which is used to document the study and patient activity for the Institution. Before access can be granted users are required to complete the following training.    

• Training is located in the Knowledge Center under the Research & Development Topic:
• Velos eResearch
• Internet Explorer is NOT SUPPORTED, PREFERRED BROWSERS INCLUDE: Google Chrome and FireFox

ClinCard is the Institutions preferred method for compensating research subjects.  Members of the participant payment team will be required to complete participant payment training prior to gaining access to the ClinCard system.  

• Training is located in the Knowledge Center under the Research & Development Topic:
• Management of Research Participant Payments
• HSC Debit Card – ClinCard for Research Participant Payments
• Internet Explorer is NOT SUPPORTED, PREFERRED BROWSERS INCLUDE: Google Chrome and FireFox