Robert G. Keefe, Ph.D., CPIA

Prior to joining the Wadsworth Center, Dr. Robert (Bob) Keefe had completed a two year post-doctoral fellowship at the Naval Medical Research Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, researching the use of bacterial enzymes to alleviate symptoms of decompression sickness in human divers. Upon his arrival at the Center in 1994 as a post-doctoral research scientist, Dr. Keefe studied enzymes involved in nucleotide biosynthesis. Bob joined the newly-created Wadsworth ‘Human Genetics Support Service’ genotyping core in 1998, later renamed the 'Genomics Core Facility'. In 2001 Dr. Keefe was appointed Director of the Genomics Core Facility. In 2009, Bob transitioned  to the chair position of Wadsworth’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). 

Oversight by an IACUC is mandated at any institution applying for or receiving federal grant awards used to fund animal research.  Also, in order to maintain AAALAC accreditation (Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care), the institution must maintain an IACUC to oversee the institution's animal research and its adherence to the guidelines established in the "Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals" and by the Animal Welfare Act regulations. 

The IACUC’s main functions are to conduct oversight and evaluation of an institution’s ‘Animal Care and Use Program’, and to report regularly to the Center’s Director regarding the status of institutional compliance to federal and state regulations and policies pertaining to the use of animals in research.  The IACUC also informs and educates animal users and Committee members about institutional and agency oversight policies, IACUC procedures used in animal use protocol review, and how to maintain regulatory compliance.