IBCs and the UConn Health Center Institutional Biosafety Committee
About IBCs
Institutional Biosafety Committees (IBC) are federally mandated in the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules (NIH
rDNA Guidelines) for institutions that host rDNA work
(see Section IV, NIH Guidelines).
In recent years, it has been recognized by NIH that the roles and responsibilities of IBCs are growing. IBCs are being given responsibilities for emerging technologies like
xenotransplantation, nanotechnology and biosecurity relating to dual-use research involving agents that may be used in bioterrorism.
Contact the UConn Health Center IBC
At the UConn Health Center, you can contact the IBC through its Coordinator, who is also the Biological Safety Officer (BSO), by email or at
860-679-3781. The BSO appreciates email most of all because many conversations may tracked simultaneously and archives kept.
Submissions to the UConn Health Center IBC
The UConn Health Center IBC meets on odd numbered months, on the
second Monday, unless that is a holiday, in which case the meeting is generally held a week later. Submissions are previewed
by the IBC coordinator for clarification prior to consideration by the IBC
reviewers. Final submissions should be made three weeks prior to the meeting date, to allow
the reviewers time. The IBC coordinator
will preview submissions on a first-come-first-served basis up to three weeks before IBC meetings.
Submissions to the IBC consist of Registrations for use of rDNA, and Safety Protocols that bring up non-routine biosafety issues that come to the attention of the BSO from the Animal Care
Committee, the Institutional Review Board, and from researchers themselves.
To find out how registration is defined in the NIH rDNA Guidelines and the two ways registrations are handled by the IBC relative to approval and the timing beginning of experiments, you
can read the first paragraphs of Sections III-D and III-E in the NIH rDNA Guidelines.
About the UConn Health Center IBC
The UConn Health Center IBC consists of about a dozen members of whom half are researchers with expertise in areas of research that are pertinent to the research that is reviewed. The NIH
rDNA Guidelines require that at least two members are unaffiliated with the UConn Health Center to represent the interest of the surrounding community with respect to health and protection of the
environment. Other members are the Associate Vice President for Research Administration, the Director of Employee Health Services and from the Office of Research Safety (the IBC
Coordinator/BSO, and the Director).
If the membership of the IBC is lacking in expertise concerning a particular registration or issue, the IBC will engage an ad hoc member that has the required expertise. These are usually
recruited from the UConn Health Center faculty.
At times the IBC is looking for additional members, both affiliated with the UConn Health Center and unaffiliated. Please contact the UConn Health Center IBC Coordinator if this would
interest you.
Times to Contact the IBC Coordinator/BSO
When you have questions or concerns about:
- Safety and/or compliance around the use of rDNA.
- Safety and/or compliance around the use of viral vectors.
- Using (or ordering) an infectious agent or toxin that is on the Select Agent List.
- Performing a human gene transfer experiment (you wish to put rDNA into human subjects).
- Biosafety training.
- Checking “yes” in the hazardous materials/compliance section (7) of the ACC animal application.
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