The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) would like to share an important reminder about the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC). The IBC is responsible for overseeing research or teaching activities at UConn involving any biological materials. The IBC also works to ensure that research is conducted in compliance with the National Institutes of Health Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules (NIH Guidelines).
If a Principal Investigator begins experiments that are subject to the NIH Guidelines prior to review and approval by the IBC, this can place the entire University at risk of losing NIH Funding. Compliance with the NIH Guidelines is a requirement, regardless of the funding sources for the project. For example, a USDA funded project to clone DNA from Streptococcus pyogenes into Escherichia coli K-12, must be reviewed and approved by the IBC prior to beginning this work.
Experimental activities that require IBC review and approval prior to initiation of work are as follows:
- Experiments using pathogens (Risk Group 2, Risk Group 3, Risk Group 4, or Restricted Agents) as host-vector systems
- Experiments in which DNA from pathogens (Risk Group 2, Risk Group 3, Risk Group 4, or Restricted Agents) is cloned into nonpathogenic prokaryotic or lower eukaryotic host-vector systems
- Experiments involving the use of infectious DNA or RNA viruses or defective DNA or RNA viruses in the presence of helper virus in tissue culture systems
- Experiments involving whole animals
- Those in which the animal's genome has been altered by stable introduction of recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules, or nucleic acids derived therefrom, into the germ-line (transgenic animals) and experiments involving viable recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecule-modified microorganisms tested on whole animals
- Experiments involving whole plants
- Experiments to genetically engineer plants by recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecule methods, to use such plants for other experimental purposes (e.g., response to stress), to propagate such plants, or to use plants together with microorganisms or insects containing recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules
- Experiments involving more than 10 liters of culture
- Experiments involving influenza viruses generated by recombinant or synthetic methods
Research Compliance Services in the OVPR is committed to working together to ensure all research and teaching activities are being conducted in accordance with local, state, and federal regulations.
If you have any questions regarding the IBC Registration process, or your lab’s status with the IBC, feel free to contact the IBC Coordinator, Danielle Delage via email: Danielle.Delage@uconn.edu, or via phone at 860-486-1838. Additional information can also be found on the UConn IBC website.
For more information, contact: Danielle Delage at ibc@uconn.edu