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Biohazards are infectious agents or hazardous biological materials that pose a risk—or potential risk—to the health of humans, animals, or the environment. These include certain types of recombinant DNA, organisms and viruses infectious to humans, animals, or plants (e.g., parasites, viruses, bacteria, fungi, prions, and rickettsia), as well as biologically active agents (e.g., toxins, allergens, and venoms) that can cause disease in other living organisms or significantly impact the environment or community.

Research involving hazardous biological materials is essential for advancing medicine and science. It began with the discovery of microorganisms and the understanding of their role as causative agents of disease, which led to the development of countermeasures. However, this research also presents potential risks to personnel, the public, and the environment.

The L.A. Orbeli Institute of Physiology is committed to providing a safe research, teaching, and work environment. To ensure safety, the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) has been established to oversee and approve research involving biohazards, as well as to set procedures for the procurement, use, storage, transportation, and disposal of biohazardous materials. The IBC works in collaboration with the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and the Institutional Review Board (IRB).

The Institutional Biosafety Manual serves as a resource for information, policies, and procedures to ensure safe practices and minimize or eliminate potential exposure to biological hazards.

Institute employees and students conducting research with hazardous biological materials are required to complete “Intro to Biosafety” training, which is available online.

The Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) approves biological agent use, develops biosafety policies, and provides administrative oversight of the Institute biosafety activities, to reduce laboratory biosafety risks.

If your research involves biohazards, it must be reviewed and approved by the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC). Biological agent use authorization must be renewed every three years. Approval is required for research project involving:

  • pathogenic microorganisms and viruses
  • human-derived material
  • biological toxins
  • animal tissues that pose zoonotic disease concerns

The IBC will meet once in two months or more frequently as necessary to meet the needs of the projects. A quorum shall consist of more than 50% of the voting members and is required at the IBC meetings to make decisions. PIs are encouraged to attend IBC meetings to discuss newly proposed research. IBC review outcome includes – approval, request for modifications, rejection. Minor modifications can be approved by IBC Chair without calling full meeting.

No member of the IBC may participate (except to provide information requested by the IBC) in the review or approval of a project in which he/she has been or expects to be engaged.

Research projects categorized as Biosafety Level 1 or 2 (BSL-1 or BSL-2) and Animal Biosafety Level 1 or 2 (ABSL-1 or ABSL-2) require IBC review and approval. Authorization request form can be downloaded here

The Institute doesn’t conduct projects involving BSL-3 and BSL-4 organisms, research on recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules, and the acquisition, creation, and breeding of transgenic animals.