Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)

What Must Be Registered

Experiments involving the following must be registered with the IBC:

• Pathogens affecting humans, animals or plants;
• Materials potentially containing human pathogens (for example, unfixed human specimens, human blood)
• Recombinant DNA molecules including virus vectors
• Human cell lines that are not well-characterized or require Biosafety Level 2 containment
• De novo generation of transgenic animals (using recombinant DNA technology to add foreign DNA or subtract a portion of the animal's genome)
• Generation of de novo transgenic animals: defined as the addition of foreign DNA or subtraction of a portion of the animal genome using recombinant DNA technology. The breeding of animals to generate transgenics does not require IBC approval. Those transgenics that already exist or which have been purchased also do not require IBC approval. 
• All research involving the use of recombinant molecules or biohazards requires a minimum of Biosafety Level 1 containment.
• Animal Subjects: All research involving the use of recombinant molecules or biohazards in whole animals requires both IBC and IACUC approval.
• Human Subjects: Any research involving the introduction of recombinant molecules or biohazards into human subjects must be approved by the IBC and by the IRB.
• Any research involving pluripotent human or animal stem cells must be approved by the ISCRO and by either the IBC or the IACUC.

Human Cells and Tissues Must Be Registered

Human and non-human primate cells should be handled using Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) practices and containment.  

All work should be performed in a biosafety cabinet and all material should be decontaminated by autoclaving or disinfection before discarding. Appropriate training in the handling of Blood-Borne Pathogens and up-to-date hepatitis B vaccinations may be required.

Select Agents and Toxins

Select agents are specific pathogens and toxins that have the potential to pose a severe threat to public health and safety as defined by the USA PATRIOT Act and the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002. The institution must be registered with the CDC and/or USDA before these materials are obtained, used or stored.