IACUC Protocol Drafter

ID: 105
Name: IACUC Protocol Drafter
Description: Draft Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) protocol applications, especially the justification section for the "3Rs principles" (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement).

When to Use

• Use this skill when the task is to Draft IACUC protocol applications with focus on the 3Rs principles justification.
• Use this skill for academic writing tasks that require explicit assumptions, bounded scope, and a reproducible output format.
• Use this skill when you need a documented fallback path for missing inputs, execution errors, or partial evidence.

Key Features

• Scope-focused workflow aligned to: Draft IACUC protocol applications with focus on the 3Rs principles justification.
• Packaged executable path(s): scripts/main.py.
• Reference material available in references/ for task-specific guidance.
• Structured execution path designed to keep outputs consistent and reviewable.

Dependencies

See ## Prerequisites above for related details.

• Python: 3.10+. Repository baseline for current packaged skills.
• Third-party packages: not explicitly version-pinned in this skill package. Add pinned versions if this skill needs stricter environment control.

Example Usage

See ## Usage above for related details.

cd "20260318/scientific-skills/Academic Writing/iacuc-protocol-drafter"
python -m py_compile scripts/main.py
python scripts/main.py --help

Example run plan:

1. Confirm the user input, output path, and any required config values.
2. Edit the in-file CONFIG block or documented parameters if the script uses fixed settings.
3. Run python scripts/main.py with the validated inputs.
4. Review the generated output and return the final artifact with any assumptions called out.

Implementation Details

See ## Workflow above for related details.

• Execution model: validate the request, choose the packaged workflow, and produce a bounded deliverable.
• Input controls: confirm the source files, scope limits, output format, and acceptance criteria before running any script.
• Primary implementation surface: scripts/main.py.
• Reference guidance: references/ contains supporting rules, prompts, or checklists.
• Parameters to clarify first: input path, output path, scope filters, thresholds, and any domain-specific constraints.
• Output discipline: keep results reproducible, identify assumptions explicitly, and avoid undocumented side effects.

Quick Check

Use this command to verify that the packaged script entry point can be parsed before deeper execution.

python -m py_compile scripts/main.py

Audit-Ready Commands

Use these concrete commands for validation. They are intentionally self-contained and avoid placeholder paths.

python -m py_compile scripts/main.py
python scripts/main.py --help
python scripts/main.py -h

Workflow

1. Confirm the user objective, required inputs, and non-negotiable constraints before doing detailed work.
2. Validate that the request matches the documented scope and stop early if the task would require unsupported assumptions.
3. Use the packaged script path or the documented reasoning path with only the inputs that are actually available.
4. Return a structured result that separates assumptions, deliverables, risks, and unresolved items.
5. If execution fails or inputs are incomplete, switch to the fallback path and state exactly what blocked full completion.

Requirements

• Python 3.8+
• No additional dependencies (uses standard library)

Usage

# Generate local file
python skills/iacuc-protocol-drafter/scripts/main.py --input protocol_input.json --output iacuc_protocol.txt

# Use stdin/stdout
cat protocol_input.json | python skills/iacuc-protocol-drafter/scripts/main.py

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Default	Required	Description
--input, -i	string	-	Yes	Path to input JSON file with protocol details
--output, -o	string	stdout	No	Output file path for generated protocol
--template	string	standard	No	Template type (standard, minimal, detailed)
--format	string	text	No	Output format (text, markdown, docx)

Input Format (JSON)

{
  "title": "Experiment Title",
  "principal_investigator": "Principal Investigator Name",
  "institution": "Research Institution Name",
  "species": "Experimental Animal Species",
  "number_of_animals": 50,
  "procedure_description": "Brief description of experimental procedures",
  "pain_category": "B",
  "justification": {
    "replacement": {
      "alternatives_considered": ["In vitro experiments", "Computer simulation"],
      "why_animals_needed": "Reasons why animals must be used"
    },
    "reduction": {
      "sample_size_calculation": "Sample size calculation method and rationale",
      "minimization_strategies": "Strategies to minimize animal numbers"
    },
    "refinement": {
      "pain_management": "Pain management measures",
      "housing_enrichment": "Housing environment optimization",
      "humane_endpoints": "Humane endpoint setting"
    }
  }
}

Output

Generate IACUC-standard application text, including a complete 3Rs principles justification section.

Templates

Built-in standard templates cover:

• Replacement: Justification for why live animals must be used
• Reduction: Explanation of statistical basis for sample size calculation
• Refinement: Description of measures to reduce pain and stress

Notes

• Generated content should be used as a draft and adjusted according to actual conditions
• It is recommended to consult your institution's IACUC office for specific format requirements
• Ensure all animal experiments comply with local regulations and institutional policies

Risk Assessment

Risk Indicator	Assessment	Level
Code Execution	Python/R scripts executed locally	Medium
Network Access	No external API calls	Low
File System Access	Read input files, write output files	Medium
Instruction Tampering	Standard prompt guidelines	Low
Data Exposure	Output files saved to workspace	Low

Security Checklist

• No hardcoded credentials or API keys
• No unauthorized file system access (../)
• Output does not expose sensitive information
• Prompt injection protections in place
• Input file paths validated (no ../ traversal)
• Output directory restricted to workspace
• Script execution in sandboxed environment
• Error messages sanitized (no stack traces exposed)
• Dependencies audited

Prerequisites

No additional Python packages required.

Evaluation Criteria

Success Metrics

• Successfully executes main functionality
• Output meets quality standards
• Handles edge cases gracefully
• Performance is acceptable

Test Cases

1. Basic Functionality: Standard input → Expected output
2. Edge Case: Invalid input → Graceful error handling
3. Performance: Large dataset → Acceptable processing time

Lifecycle Status

• Current Stage: Draft
• Next Review Date: 2026-03-06
• Known Issues: None
• Planned Improvements:
  • Performance optimization
  • Additional feature support

Output Requirements

Every final response should make these items explicit when they are relevant:

• Objective or requested deliverable
• Inputs used and assumptions introduced
• Workflow or decision path
• Core result, recommendation, or artifact
• Constraints, risks, caveats, or validation needs
• Unresolved items and next-step checks

Error Handling

• If required inputs are missing, state exactly which fields are missing and request only the minimum additional information.
• If the task goes outside the documented scope, stop instead of guessing or silently widening the assignment.
• If scripts/main.py fails, report the failure point, summarize what still can be completed safely, and provide a manual fallback.
• Do not fabricate files, citations, data, search results, or execution outcomes.

Input Validation

This skill accepts requests that match the documented purpose of iacuc-protocol-drafter and include enough context to complete the workflow safely.

Do not continue the workflow when the request is out of scope, missing a critical input, or would require unsupported assumptions. Instead respond:

iacuc-protocol-drafter only handles its documented workflow. Please provide the missing required inputs or switch to a more suitable skill.

References

• references/audit-reference.md - Supported scope, audit commands, and fallback boundaries

Response Template

Use the following fixed structure for non-trivial requests:

1. Objective
2. Inputs Received
3. Assumptions
4. Workflow
5. Deliverable
6. Risks and Limits
7. Next Checks

If the request is simple, you may compress the structure, but still keep assumptions and limits explicit when they affect correctness.