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The IBC must review and approve teaching, research, and related activities involving biohazardous materials. Biohazardous materials include materials of biological origin that could potentially cause harm to humans, animals, or plants. Examples include recombinant DNA; transgenic animals or plants; human, animal, or plant pathogens; biological toxins (such as aflatoxin); human blood and other potentially infectious materials; and human or non-human primate cell cultures.
PLANT BIOSAFETY
The Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) oversees all plant-related research activities that involve plant-associated microbes, plant diseases, invasive plants including noxious weeds, certain plant pests, and recombinant/synthetic nucleic acid (r/s NA) molecules, including transgenic plants.
Plant research typically does not pose a human health hazard. Plant biosafety oversight is needed to:
- Protect the natural and agricultural environment, such as controlling the inadvertent spread of pathogens or noxious weeds to crops or native vegetation and avoiding the introduction of unwanted exotic organisms into a new habitat.
- Address concerns of unintentional transfer of plant genes, recombinant or synthetic, among local vegetation and crop.
- Protect the researcher and the institution by assuring compliance with applicable regulations and guidelines.
It is the responsibility of the Principal Investigator to apply for any necessary permits. In addition to obtaining relevant permit approvals, the use of the above-mentioned materials will require a Biological Use Authorization submission in Endeavor. Registrations are reviewed and approved by the Institutional Biosafety Committee. Within the submission, investigators will need to upload current versions of permits (such as interstate transport), field release approvals, and other supporting documentation. If a permit is not required, an email or verbiage from the regulatory agency is required. Include this information as a supporting document with BUA submission. Permits must be maintained during the project. Any required renewal or permit changes must be submitted as an amendment to the project’s approved BUA.
For additional information regarding plant biosafety, permits, and resources, please contact the Biological Safety Officer or refer to the RMS Biosafety page.
Associate Professor
Department of Nutritional Sciences
IBC Chair
Biological Safety Officer
Assistant Vice President for Research Integrity & Compliance
IBC Process Overview
1. The Principal Investigator (PI) submits a completed Biological Use Authorization (BUA) through the Endeavor system to the IBC for review and approval. Please consult the AU - IBC PI Eligibility statement.
2. The Biological Safety Officer conduct a preliminary review of the BUA. Preliminary review comments are sent to PI by the IBC Administrator via Endeavor.
3. The PI revises the BUA addressing comments from the preliminary review and submits the revised BUA for IBC review via Endeavor.
5. BSL1 activities are reviewed using an electronic process unless the activities involve rDNA.
- BSL 1 involving rDNA and BSL 2 activities are reviewed at the monthly IBC meeting. PI’s requesting approval for BSL 2 activities must attend the IBC meeting and present their proposed activities. The PI is responsible for contacting the IBC Administrator (844-5966) to confirm meeting attendance.
The IBC may vote to:
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Approve the BUA.
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Approve the BUA pending revisions.
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Table the BUA for additional information and clarification.
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Deny approval of the BUA for stated reasons.
6. The PI will revise the BUA addressing any comments from the IBC review and resubmit the BUA via Endeavor.
7. The IBC Administrator via Endeavor will provide an approval letter to the PI after all comments from the IBC have been appropriately addressed in the BUA.
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BUAs are approved for three years.
BUA Submissions
IBC meetings are generally scheduled for the first Wednesday of each month at 1:00 pm to review all BSL1 involving rDNA and BSL2 activities. For all BL-2 or greater BUA’s, the Principal Investigator must attend the committee meeting during which their protocol is scheduled for review and present an overview of the proposed activities. The PI is responsible for contacting the IBC Administrator (844-5966) to confirm meeting attendance.
BUA’s must be submitted via Endeavor at least two weeks in advance of the IBC meeting to be included on the IBC agenda.
Meeting Minutes
