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Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)

Charge

The University of Pennsylvania's Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) is responsible for enforcing policies and guidelines relevant to university-related use of all potentially hazardous biological materials. The IBC is responsible for providing review and oversight to ensure that all forms of research involving recombinant DNA, infectious agents, human and non-human primate materials (including established cell lines), select agents, and human gene transfer studies conducted at the University of Pennsylvania and within the University of Pennsylvania Health System are in compliance with the NIH Guidelines and all of the University's policies. The IBC is responsible for ensuring that research involving these agents is conducted in a manner that protects the researchers, laboratory workers, human research subjects, the public and the environment. The IBC is authorized to inspect research facilities, approve research practices and procedures, and to take actions, such as enforcement of cessation of research activities, in the event of an unsafe workplace situation. IBC members are appointed by the Vice Provost for Research. The University of Pennsylvania's Office of Environmental Health and Radiation Safety (EHRS) supports the IBC in carrying out its mission.

In carrying out its charge, the Committee will:

  1. Review recombinant DNA research conducted at or sponsored by the institution for compliance with the NIH Guidelines as specified in Section III, Experiments Covered by the NIH Guidelines, and will approve those research projects that are found to conform to the NIH Guidelines.

  2. Notify the Principal Investigator of the results of committee review.

  3. Lower containment levels for experiments specified in Section III-D-2-a, upon written request.

  4. Set containment levels as specified in Sections III-D-4-b and III-D-5.

  5. Periodically review recombinant DNA research conducted at Penn to ensure compliance with the NIH Guidelines is maintained.

  6. Adopt emergency plans covering accidental spills and personnel contamination resulting from recombinant DNA research.

  7. Report significant problems with or violations of the NIH Guidelines and any significant research-related accidents or illnesses to the appropriate official and NIH/OBA within the mandated time period.
    Send completed reports via U.S. mail, courier service, e-mail, or facsimile to:

    NIH Office of Biotechnology Activities
    6705 Rockledge Drive, Suite 750
    Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7985
    (For all non-USPS deliveries Zip Code 20817)
    Telephone 301-496-9838
    Fax 301-496-9839

    E-mail address for Reporting Adverse Events: GeMCRIS@od.nih.gov


  8. Not authorize initiation of experiments which are not explicitly covered by the NIH Guidelines.

  9. Perform other functions as discussed in Section IV-B-2.


The Office of Environmental Health and Radiation Safety is the operational group of the committe and its director shall act as secretary to the Committee.