UNC IACUC Animal Alternatives Search Database Selection Guide
The UNC IACUC will require you to search at least two databases. This guide can help you select the most useful for your specific protocol.
Database Selection Tips
Most researchers choose to start with PubMed or another broadly inclusive biomedical reseach database.
Your additional databases can be a second biomedical research database, or focus on :
If there is a specific database relevant to the protocol topic or model, you should include it in your search.
Red Flags for Reviewers
The following are RED FLAGS for IACUC reviewers. Be careful to avoid them in your searching.
Animal Welfare Information Center (USDA AWIC) Red Flags
- Only 1 database searched
- Terms included only for painful aspects
- The term “alternative” used alone
- Keywords not relevant to the protocol
- Keywords and concepts linked incorrectly (you should use Boolean search techniques)
- Inadequate time period searched (less than 5 years)
Google Scholar IS NOT A RESEARCH DATABASE.
- Use it to find useful news, contacts or articles, and to further search for similar funded research projects, but do not rely on it for any kind of thorough research
- Its coverage is incomplete and includes many low-quality and predatory sources
- It is not acceptable as a research or alternatives database for the IACUC
Further Help
You are welcome to contact a science or health sciences librarian for assistance in selecting the most useful database for your protocol.
Record a Sample of Your Search Strategies - Boolean Searching
The IACUC requires you to record and include a sample of your search strategy. If your source will accept Boolean logic, use a sample string. If it does not, use a one-sentence narrative about your search words and processes.
Boolean logic is a code format that tells almost all databases exactly what results you want to find. You can use it to tell the database how to limit or expand your search. The basics :
- AND - each term must be found in all of your results
- example : ketamine AND xylazine
- results : every article includes both ketamine and xylazine
- OR - either or both terms must be found in all of your results
- example : rompun OR xylazine OR anased
- results : every article includes at least one but not necessarily all of the terms searched
- NOT - the subsequent term will be eliminated from all of your results
- example : xylazine NOT anased
- results : every article includes xylazine, but no articles include anased
- tip : only use NOT at the end of a search string
- ( ) - use parentheses to build compound search strings
- example : (rompun OR xylazine OR anased) NOT clonidine
- results : every article includes either of the terms within parentheses, but none include clonidine
- " " - use commas to tell the database that the enclosed term must be found in the exact order & form as entered
- example : "alpha 2 adrenergic agonist"
- results : every article includes the phrases alpha 2 adrenergic agonist exactly as written; in other words, it would not include any articles that just had the word alpha, or adrenergic agonist, or alpha2 adrenergic agonist
- tip : this will search EXACTLY for what is included and will not correct for spelling errors or extra spaces or punctuation
Databases with Descriptions
All databases can be accessed via the Libraries. https://guides.lib.unc.edu/IACUC-resources
Broad Biomedical and Biological Science Databases
Choose a database that includes a very wide range of biomedical, biological and other disciplines:
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Broad Biomedical and Biological Science
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- Embase
- International biomedical database with in-depth indexing of conference proceedings and thousands of peer-reviewed journals.
- Global Health
- International public health database from CABI containing abstracted and full-text information from journals, books, book chapters, conference proceedings, patents, and theses from more than 150 countries.
- PubMed
- Covers journal articles about medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and public health from 1946 to the present.
- Scopus
- Multi-disciplinary index of peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings, with links to full-text where available through the library. Tracks how often articles have been cited and provides tools to analyze cited references.
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Databases by Protocol or Method Type
Education or Training Protocol
Is your protocol focused on classroom education or student training?
Behavioral/Neuropsychological Protocol
Is your protocol focused on behavioral or neuropsychological research?
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Neuro
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- PsycInfo
- American Psychological Association's database of abstracts from psychology and related disciplines. Indexes journals, dissertations, book chapters, books, technical reports, and other documents from 1887 to the present. Links to full-text for many.
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Toxicological or Pharmaceutical Protocol
Is your protocol focused on toxicological or pharmaceutical research?
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Toxicological or Pharmaceutical
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- ALT-BIB: Bibliography on Alternatives to the Use of Live Vertebrates in Biomedical Research and Testing
- Bibliography created to assist in identifying methods and procedures helpful in supporting the development, testing, application, and validation of alternatives to the use of vertebrates in biomedical research and toxicology testing; produced from MEDLINE database searches, performed and analyzed by subject experts from the Toxicology and Environmental Health Information Program of the Specialized Information Services Division of the National Library of Medicine.
- ECOTOX: Ecotoxicology Database
- Database of single chemical toxicity data for aquatic life, terrestrial plants and wildlife ; created and is maintained by the U.S.EPA, Office of Research and Development (ORD), and the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory's (NHEERL's) Mid-Continent Ecology Division (MED).
- Embase
- International biomedical database with in-depth indexing of conference proceedings and thousands of peer-reviewed journals.
- International Pharmaceutical Abstracts
- Abstracts cover the spectrum of drug therapy and pharmaceutical information. A unique feature for clinical studies is the inclusion of the study design, number of patients, dosage, dosage forms, and dosage schedule.
- RTECS : Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances
- Toxicological information for more than 160,000 chemical substances, sourced from international journals, textbooks, technical reports, conference proceedings, compendia, etc.
- TOXNET
- A cluster of open NIH databases covering toxicology, hazardous chemicals, animal alternatives testing, environmental health, toxic releases and related areas; includes HSDB, TOXLINE, ChemIDplus, LactMed, DART, TOXMAP, TRI, CTD, Household Products Database, Haz-Map, IRIS, ITER, ALTBIB, CCRIS, CPDB, and GENE-TOX. Mobile apps available for some components.
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Databases by Animal Model
Rodents & Other Small Mammals
Is your animal model a rodent or other animal commonly used in laboratory research?
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Rodents & Small Mammals
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- ALT-BIB: Bibliography on Alternatives to the Use of Live Vertebrates in Biomedical Research and Testing
- Bibliography created to assist in identifying methods and procedures helpful in supporting the development, testing, application, and validation of alternatives to the use of vertebrates in biomedical research and toxicology testing; produced from MEDLINE database searches, performed and analyzed by subject experts from the Toxicology and Environmental Health Information Program of the Specialized Information Services Division of the National Library of Medicine.
- ECOTOX: Ecotoxicology Database
- This is a source for locating single chemical toxicity data for aquatic life, terrestrial plants and wildlife ; created and is maintained by the U.S.EPA, Office of Research and Development (ORD), and the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory's (NHEERL's) Mid-Continent Ecology Division (MED).
- Global Health
- International public health database from CABI containing abstracted and full-text information from journals, books, book chapters, conference proceedings, patents, and theses from more than 150 countries.
- PubMed
- Covers journal articles about medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and public health from 1946 to the present.
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Primates
Is your animal model a non-human primate?
Fish, Amphibians & Reptiles
Is your animal model aquatic, a reptile, or an amphibian?
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Fish, Amphib., Reptiles
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- ECOTOX: Ecotoxicology Database
- "The ECOTOXicology database (ECOTOX) is a source for locating single chemical toxicity data for aquatic life, terrestrial plants and wildlife. ECOTOX was created and is maintained by the U.S.EPA, Office of Research and Development (ORD) , and the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory's (NHEERL's) Mid-Continent Ecology Division (MED)."
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Agricultural Animals & Fowl
Is your animal model an agricultural animal or fowl?
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Agricultural Animals & Fowl
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- AGRICOLA
- Abstracts of publications and resources encompassing all aspects of agriculture and allied disciplines, ranging from the 16th century to the present.
- CRIS: Current Research Information Service
- "CRIS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) documentation and reporting system for ongoing and recently completed research projects in agriculture, food and nutrition, and forestry. Projects are conducted or sponsored by USDA research agencies, state agricultural experiment stations, the state land-grant university system, other cooperating state institutions, and participants in a number of USDA-administered grant programs."
- Global Health
- International public health database from CABI containing abstracted and full-text information from journals, books, book chapters, conference proceedings, patents, and theses from more than 150 countries.
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Wildlife
Is your animal model considered wildlife?
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Wildlife
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- Global Health
- International public health database from CABI containing abstracted and full-text information from journals, books, book chapters, conference proceedings, patents, and theses from more than 150 countries.
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Databases based on the Alternatives and 3Rs Focused Resources
Find discussion and research about alternatives and the 3Rs:
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Alternatives and 3Rs Focused Resources
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- AWI : Environmental Enrichment & Refinement of Husbandry for Nonhuman Primates
- Database of information on all aspects of species-appropriate housing and handling of captive nonhuman primates. It contains published articles, abstracts, books, book chapters, slide sets, and videotapes; from the Animal Welfare Institute.
- NORINA Database: Audiovisual Alternatives to the Use of Animals in Teaching
- NORINA (A Norwegian Inventory of Alternatives) provides information on over 3800 audiovisual aids and other alternatives such as computer programs to the use of animals or animal products in teaching, at all levels from junior [elementary] school to university; From the Norwegian Reference Centre for Laboratory Animal Sciences & Alternatives.
- AWI : Refinement of Housing and Handling Conditions and Environmental Enrichment for Animals Kept in Laboratories
- Resources focused on refinement aspects of animal alternatives from the Animal Welfare Institute
- ALTBIB: Bibliography of Alternatives to the Use of Live Vertebrates in Biomedical Research & Testing
- Bibliography created to assist in identifying methods and procedures helpful in supporting the development, testing, application, and validation of alternatives to the use of vertebrates in biomedical research and toxicology testing; produced from MEDLINE database searches, performed and analyzed by subject experts from the Toxicology and Environmental Health Information Program of the Specialized Information Services Division of the National Library of Medicine.
- AltTox.org
- Large site dedicated to non-animal chemical assessment methods, sponsored by the Humane Society of the United States and Procter and Gamble.
- ALTWEB
- The Alternatives to Animal Testing Web Site was created by Johns Hopkins to serve as a gateway to alternatives news, information, and resources on the Internet and beyond.
- European Union Reference Laboratory for alternatives to animal testing (EURL-ECVAM)
- Large European site dedicated to alternatives searching and resources
- NIH NTP Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods
- NIH site collecting resources and information about alternative toxicological research methods
- InterNiche : the International Network for Humane Education Alternatives Database
- Network of international veterinary and biological studies educators who research and support the use of alternatives to animal use in education; large site of alternative databases, studies, commentary, etc.
- Refinement and Enrichment for All Laboratory Animals Database
- This information resource is a merger of the two databases on refinement & enrichment for non-primate and primate animals kept in laboratories. It disseminates reference material on all aspects of refinement of housing and handling conditions and environmental enrichment for ALL animals kept in research, testing and teaching institutions.
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Funded Research Project Databases
Find existing funded research projects :
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Funded Research Project
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- Current Research Information System (CRIS)
- This database provides documentation and reporting for ongoing agricultural, food science, human nutrition, and forestry research, education and extension activities for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA); with a focus on the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) grant programs.
- Federal RePORTER
- Combine search of federally funded research projects at the NIH, USDA, EPA, OSTP, and, soon, all federal agencies
- NIH RePORTER
- Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool Expenditures and Results (RePORTER) is NIH's awards made tool, including award data from NIH, SAMHSA, HRSA, FDA, CDC, AHRQ and VA. Use NIH reporter to see who was funded for past grants and the details of ongoing research. You can read the abstracts of the funded project and the full FOA.
- NSF Awards Search
- Search a database of official National Science Foundation awards past and present for information about research projects and outcomes.
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