The role of the Vassar College Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) is to provide advice and recommendations to Vassar researchers by reviewing bio-agent use protocols, recombinant DNA use protocols, and approving procedures that will provide for the safe conduct of teaching and research while ensuring compliance with local, state and federal requirements.
The IBC can approve or disapprove protocols, stop further research in non-compliant laboratories, make recommendations for corrective action for protocols, and is the link between the College and regulatory agencies. Principal Investigators must register their bio-use protocols with the IBC for approval and review. This includes the use of RG-1 and RG-2 organisms, recombinant DNA, and unfixed human blood, body fluid or tissues. The IBC has an overlapping role with other College Committees, i.e., biohazardous materials used in human subjects (IRB) or animals (IACUC).
The Vassar College IBC oversees implementation of the NIH guidelines for biosafety and use of recombinant DNA. The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) and CDC also provide guidelines for biosafety in research and teaching labs. Biosafety The goals are to:
- be sure that all biosafety guidelines are in place to maintain a safe environment for our faculty and students;
- maintain accurate records that can be used in grant writing and project design;
- provide college and local first response authorities with accurate data concerning potentially hazardous sites should emergencies arise in any building.
All submitted research protocol must be in adherence with these established guidelines.
NIH Guidelines:
https://osp.od.nih.gov/wp-content/uploads/NIH_Guidelines.html
CDC biohazard guidelines
http://www.cdc.gov/biosafety/publications/bmbl5/index.htm
For activities specific to the teaching lab environment, the American Society of Microbiology (ASM) has prepared a Guideline for Biosafety in the Teaching Laboratory.