Institutional Biosafety Committee

The UC Davis Institutional Biosafety Committee reviews and approves research involving biohazardous materials on the UC Davis campus and at satellite facilities. 

Composition

The UC Davis IBC composition complies with the requirements of Section IV-B-1 of the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules (NIH Guidelines).

Voting members:

  • At least two members who are not associated with the institution (community members)
  • The Campus Biological Safety Officer
  • At least one faculty expert in each of the research and biocontainment fields of study involving infectious agents or recombinant DNA conducted at UC Davis or UC Davis Health (UCDH).  This specifically includes members with expertise in plant rDNA research, animal rDNA research, and human gene transfer.
  • UC Davis and UCDH staff experts in biological safety and biocontainment as appropriate
  • The Attending Veterinarian
  • The Medical Director of the Davis campus Occupational Health Services

Ex officio, non-voting:

  • The Medical Director of UCDH Occupational Health Services

Responsibilities

As required under the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules (NIH Guidelines), and under UC Davis Policy and Procedure 290-55, the IBC:

  • Reviews and evaluates all proposed research and other activities involving recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid technology at UC Davis, UC Davis Health (UCDH) and UC Davis satellite facilities.
  • Develops a risk assessment for each project to determine the containment requirements for each proposed project, to set the required biological safety level of the project, and to establish conditions with which the investigator must comply to conduct the activity.
  • Reviews human gene transfer (gene transfer) clinical trials proposed to be conducted at the UC Davis Medical Center (UCDMC) before any patients are enrolled to ensure the safety of staff members, health care providers, study enrollees and their family members, and other people who might be exposed to recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules.  Under the NIH Guidelines, Institutional Review Board approval of such human gene transfer clinical trials is contingent upon IBC approval.
  • Reviews all proposed research and other activities at UC Davis and UCDH that involve potential exposure of susceptible human, animal, or plant hosts to infectious agents or to other biohazardous materials.  Such projects include research involving infectious agents or materials, teaching programs involving infectious agents or materials, archival collections of infectious agents or materials, or occupational exposures to potential biohazards.
  • Sets policy for the acquisition and safe handling, transfer, and storage of biohazardous agents and materials and recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid constructs on the Davis campus and in the UCDH.
  • Reviews the operating performance and SOPs of each newly constructed or remodeled Biosafety Level 3 (BSL3) laboratory before the laboratory opens for use, and approves continued operation for each existing BSL3 laboratory for a maximum of one (1) year.

BUA Submission Deadline and IBC Meeting

The submission deadline is the first day of each month. The IBC meets on the fourth Monday of each month at 2:00 PM.

Agendas and minutes:

The monthly IBC meeting agenda is distributed to the committee approximately seven days before the meeting date. The draft minutes from the previous month are usually distributed on the same date. The IBC minutes with proprietary or sensitive information redacted are available on request to members of the public.