Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)

 

Committee Members

• Timea Fernandez, Chair, College of Arts and Sciences
• Jason Hurlbert, College of Arts and Sciences
• VACANT, College of Arts and Sciences
• Melody Kearse, Community Representative
• Anita Romano, Community Representative
• Steve Moseley, Winthrop University Environmental Safety Officer, Ex-Officio Member
• Kristin Smith, Director, Grants and Sponsored Research Development, Ex-Officio Member

 

Meeting Schedule and Submission Deadlines

Fall 2022
November 8, 2022 (Declaration Forms due by November 1)

Spring 2023
February 13, 2023 (Declaration Forms due by 6)
May 2, 2023 (Declaration Forms due by April 25)

 

How to Request IBC Review

To request review of your proposed research project by the IBC, complete the Biohazardous Materials Declaration form or the Exempt Protocol Request form and other documents as related to your research. The signed and approved PDF of the protocol, including all attachments, must be submitted to Michele Smith, Grants and Sponsored Research Development, by the submission deadlines published above in order to be considered at that meeting. Protocols received after the submission deadline will be reviewed at the next scheduled meeting.  Additional forms that may need to be completed:

• BSL1 Checklist
• BSL2 Checklist

 

CITI Training

All members of the research team, including the primary investigator, co-researchers, research assistants, and/or faculty advisors must complete CITI Biosafety / Biosecurity training before submitting a protocol for IBC review.

Required Training Course: Basic Biosafety Training
CITI Training Site [Instructions for CITI Training Site]

 

Policies and Guidelines

Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) Policy and Procedures (PDF - 282 KB)

 

Mission Statement

The Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) oversees the safety of research and classroom projects involving recombinant DNA or other biohazardous materials. The IBC sets containment levels in accordance with National Institutes of Health Guidelines and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The IBC periodically reviews previously approved research projects for changes which would necessitate increasing or decreasing the containment levels.

Specifically, the IBC evaluates research projects that use recombinant DNA or other biohazardous materials. The IBC coordinates its reviews with University departmental laboratory safety committees and Safety Officers in order to ensure research personnel have adequate occupational health monitoring and training on safe work practices, exposure control emergencies, and the use of protective equipment.

 

Helpful Links

American Biological Safety Association (ABSA) Risk Group Classification for Infectious Agents
NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules (NIH Guidelines)
CDC Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories
Select Agent Rule
World Health Organization - Laboratory BioSafety Manual