Last month, UC San Francisco received full accreditation from AAALAC International thanks to the coordination of numerous departments, including Facilities Services.
AAALAC reaccreditation is a voluntary process that occurs every three years and demonstrates UCSF’s commitment to responsible animal care and credibility as a leading research institution.
"Securing AAALAC accreditation is a significant achievement that reflects UCSF's commitment to the highest standards of animal care and research integrity," Assistant Director of Building Automation James Comte said.
Building Manager Don Mabunga inspects an eye wash station.
The work Facilities does behind the scenes supports 350 principal investigators and over 2,500 researchers who rely on AAALAC accreditation.
This includes notable UCSF researchers such as Nobel Laureate David Julius and Stephen Hauser, who was awarded the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences this year.
"There's a lot of detailed work that Facilities does to support animal research and to make sure that, as an institution, we're creating the most humane environment possible for the animals that we work with," Facilities Manager Don Van Wie said.
This process is important as a portion of UCSF's research funding is contingent upon the maintenance of this accreditation.
"Having AAALAC accreditation is critical. If we didn't have it, then UCSF couldn't do its research," Van Wie said.
AAALAC found the work of Facilities Services to be particularly noteworthy, commending supervisors, managers, and facility maintenance personnel for the "well-maintained and clean facilities."
Clifford Roberts (DVM), Jim Wilkerson (DVM), and a DPR Construction Representative carefully inspect the flooring, wall finishes, and animal watering infrastructure.
"It’s a testament not only to our researchers and veterinary teams, but also to the dedicated facilities staff who maintain these complex environments day in and day out," Comte said, "Their attention to detail—whether it’s HVAC performance, cleanliness, or system reliability—plays a critical role in meeting and sustaining accreditation standards. I’m proud of the partnership between our teams and the shared commitment to excellence."
Facilities works diligently year-round to maintain this accreditation, coordinating across departments in monthly and weekly meetings to ensure that the AAALAC accreditation is attained every time.
“People don't always see the time, energy and effort that goes on behind the scenes to make things happen, to monitor what's happening in the animal rooms, to identify changes, and to address them when they occur on a day-to-day basis. While also putting together longer-term projects and fixes within the facilities, the teams are actively coordinating to minimize impact to the researchers," Executive Director of the Institutional Animal Care & Use Program (IACUP) Julie Sharp said.
For Sharp, the AAALAC accreditation is evidence of the successful collaboration of Facilities Services, UCSF researchers and the many units supporting animal research.
“We want to congratulate people for all of their hard work and efforts, and we want to celebrate their accomplishments and involvement in our program’s successful accreditation,” Sharp said.