Institutional Biosafety Committee

The UC Davis Institutional Biosafety Committee reviews and approves research involving NIH Guidelines-covered 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 and IV-B-2-a of the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules (NIH Guidelines).

Voting members:

  • At least five members who, collectively, have experience and expertise in recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecule technology
  • At least two members who are not associated with the institution (community members)
  • At least one faculty expert in each of the research and biocontainment fields of study involving recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules conducted at UC Davis or UC Davis Health (UCDH).  This specifically includes members with expertise in plant containment principles, animal containment principles, and human gene transfer.
  • The Campus Biological Safety Officer
  • UC Davis and UCDH staff experts in biological safety and biocontainment as appropriate

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.
  • Reviews human gene transfer (gene transfer) clinical trials proposed to be conducted 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.
  • 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.
  • Sets policy for the acquisition and safe handling, transfer, and storage of recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid constructs on the Davis campus and in the UCDH.
  • Reports any significant problems, violations of the NIH Guidelines, or any significant research-related accidents and illnesses to NIH OSP.

BUA Submission Deadline and IBC Meeting

The submission deadline is the first day of each month. The IBC meetings are scheduled for the fourth Monday of each month at 2:00 PM.

Agendas and Minutes:

The monthly IBC meeting agenda is distributed to the IBC members approximately one week before the meeting. The approved IBC minutes, with proprietary or sensitive information redacted, are made available to the public.