On February 25, 2026, Research Animal Resources (RAR) hosted a town hall to preview the Animal Research Care Hub (ARCH) to the research animal community. The event offered the first live demonstration of the new platform, set to launch in fall 2026. Over 130 researchers, lab staff, and RAR personnel attended the one-hour session demonstrating strong engagement across the University of Minnesota.
Project Goals and Researcher Benefits
RAR Executive Director Lisa Johnson reviewed the project’s goals and scope, emphasizing how ARCH will modernize RAR workflows by capitalizing on industry best practices built into the software. A central focus of the implementation is increasing transparency and real-time access for researchers by providing direct access to the same system RAR uses for animal orders, animal care records, and service requests. This shared visibility is designed to strengthen communication and operational efficiency across teams.
The town hall also highlighted several key benefits of ARCH for lab staff and researchers:
- Cage-side technology to reduce paper-based processes and enhance notifications between RAR personnel and lab staff
- Consistent documentation environment for RAR veterinarians, improving tracking of animal health concerns
- Streamlined IACUC record review during inspections to support more efficient data collection for regulatory reporting
Implementation Strategy
ARCH implementation will initially focus on RAR users, including workflow configurations designed to align the system with current RAR and researcher processes, including integrations with University of Minnesota systems (PeopleSoft, eProtocol, and Training Hub).
As the ARCH team finalizes system configurations, the project will transition into User Acceptance Testing (UAT) when designated users will validate real-world workflows within ARCH. This phase will focus on identifying any necessary refinements, confirming role-based permissions, and ensuring the system supports day-to-day activities for RAR animal users.
Live Preview and Q&A
A live preview of ARCH gave attendees a first look at system functionality, including the login experience, home page navigation, mobile and desktop use, animal ordering and management workflows, and billing transparency features.
The demonstration was followed by a Q&A session which generated insightful questions and allowed for a dialogue that will help further enhance communication, training, and rollout planning. This productive discussion reinforced the value of early engagement as the system continues to be configured and refined.
Your Feedback Matters!
We appreciate the strong participation and collaborative spirit shown during the town hall. Researcher and lab staff input remains essential to shaping ARCH into a practical, effective platform that supports operations across RAR.
For those who were unable to attend, please watch the recording and review the presentation slides. When finished, please take a few minutes to complete the ARCH Survey: z.umn.edu/ARCHSurvey
For more information, visit the ARCH project page or contact [email protected] with any questions.