Institutional biosafety committee (IBC)
Introduction to the role of IBC. Description of research requiring IBC approval and description of process for getting approval. Links to laboratory and research registration forms. IBC meeting minutes and meeting schedule.
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Introduction
Research within biological agents presents occupational hazards in our laboratories which must be carefully managed to prevent exposures and accidents. The University of Rochester’s Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) is a University-wide committee responsible for reviewing and approving recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules and biohazard research projects in fulfillment of its mission.
The committee is composed of faculty investigators with expertise in recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules and biohazard research, staff from Environmental Health & Safety including the Biosafety Officer, and non-affiliated or community members.
The IBC meets approximately every two weeks and the current year schedule is included below.
Correspondence with the IBC should be addressed to:
Environmental Health & Safety
RC Box 278878
temporary e-mail: srosen22@safety.rochester.edu
phone: 275-3241
Questions regarding containment or biosafety issues can be addressed to either:
Dr. Sonia Rosenberger, Biosafety Officer
phone: 275-3014
e-mail: srosen22@safety.rochester.edu
or
Dr. Martin Pavelka, Chair, IBC
phone: 275-4670
e-mail: martin_pavelka@urmc.rochester.edu
Research that requires IBC approval
IF YOUR RESEARCH USES DNA, PATHOGENS, OR HUMAN TISSUES/FLUIDS,
YOU WILL NEED IBC APPROVAL
The NIH Guidelines apply to all University PIs.
1.To ensure the safe handling of recombinant materials, the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules (NIH Guidelines) require:
-
- An Institutional Biosafety Committee composed of faculty, staff, and community members,
- IBC approval of many Biosafety Level (BSL) 1 and BSL2 experiments before starting work,
- Self-reporting violations, and making reports and meeting minutes available to the public.
2. The NIH Guidelines apply to all University PIs, even if they don’t receive NIH funding.
IBC approval is required before performing work that includes:
- Experiments covered by the NIH Guidelines, regardless of funding source
-
- Recombinant infectious agents if the wildtype or modified version may cause disease in people (healthy or immune suppressed), animals or plants
- Viral vectors (including commercial)
- Plasmids used to express or silence genes in E. coli, cells, animals, etc.
- Recombinant cells administered to animals
- Transgenic animals generated at UR, with special attention for gene drives
- Human research participants
- Additional experiments not routinely performed at UR (e.g. transgenic plants, plant diseases).
2. At UR, human pathogens, or materials handled at BSL2 or higher (including open vials of human or primate blood, body fluids, tissues, cells/cell lines by non-clinical research labs/staff)
If you need help determining if your study requires submission of IBC approval forms, please send the clinical Study Protocol and Investigator’s Brochure(s) to the Biosafety Officer.
Getting IBC approval
1. Personnel directing or performing lab work must complete EH&S Laboratory Safety Training.
2. PI submits the consolidated form (or separate forms: LAB/L, Project/G or HS, +/- viral vector/VV)
3. EH&S performs a lab inspection and verifies training and lab compliance checklists for all personnel.
4. IBC reviews protocols, assigns biosafety levels, confirms lab has been inspected and personnel are trained, then approves protocol. Biosafety Officer sends approval letter(s).
For more information, contact the Biosafety Officer: srosen22@safety.rochester.edu.
Additional approvals or instructions are required for:
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- Shipping, transporting biohazards, some biologicals, dry ice – Shipping policy/training
- Animals – University Committee on Animal Resources (no chem/bio/rad in vivo until EH&S sends risk letter and PI submits Notification of Intended Use). Note: if experiments in the UCAR require IBC approval, UCAR requires IBC approval prior to UCAR approval.
- Human research participants – Research Subjects Review Board (exempt? see Exempt Status).
- CampusOptics/UR’s Chemical Management System (Inventory, Waste, Safety Data Sheets)
- Lasers – Laser Safety Program
- OSHA recognized carcinogens – Chemical Hygiene Plan, Chemical Safety Officer in EH&S
- Radioactive materials or isotopes – Radiation Safety Unit
- Material Transfer Agreements, Export reviews – Office of Research and Project Administration
2026 IBC meeting schedule
The Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) meets by Zoom, typically every other Wednesday from 3:00pm until discussion ends, latest 5:00pm.
These meetings are open to the public. If you wish to attend a meeting, please contact srosen22@safety.rochester.edu to receive the Zoom link.
Principal Investigators: to be on the agenda, your IBC forms must be received by Sonia Rosenberger, Biosafety Officer at srosen22@safety.rochester.edu at least one week prior to the meeting. Whenever possible, the IBC will also accommodate a deadline that may be late for document submission.
| IBC Meeting Date | Chair |
|---|---|
| 06/10/26 | Pavelka |
| 06/24/26 | Pavelka |
| 07/08/26 | Pavelka |
| 07/22/26 | Pavelka |
| 08/05/26 | Pavelka |
| 08/19/26 | Pavelka |
| 09/02/26 | Pavelka |
| 09/16/26 | Pavelka |
| 09/30/26 | Pavelka |
| 10/14/2026* | Pavelka |
| 11/4/2026* | Pavelka |
| 11/18/26 | Pavelka |
| 12/02/26 | Pavelka |
| 12/16/26 | Pavelka |
| 1/6/2027* | Pavelka |
IBC meeting minutes
On March 28, 2025, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a memorandum titled “Implementation Update: Promoting Maximal Transparency Under the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules.” In alignment with this update, NIH now requires that approved minutes from all Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) meetings held on or after June 1, 2025, be made publicly accessible on an institutional website immediately following IBC approval.
Meeting Minutes
Related offices and departments
Other resources
Registration for new Principal Investigators
Each PI must submit this form with specificity to the work being done in their laboratory or in another laboratory on their behalf to the Institutional Biosafety Committee.
Policy or guideline
Shipping biological materials and dry ice (Policy BS009)
This procedure establishes the requirements for shipping biological materials and/or dry ice and can also be used as a training manual.
Policy or guideline
Safety training for laboratory personnel
Access to mandatory annual training for laboratory personnel. Includes training records and transcripts, executive summaries, and the compliance checklist form. Lab safety training is required annually, as is site-specific training based on the hazards employees work with. Training is available in MyPath.
How-to
Emergency procedures for laboratory biohazards
Review the minimum requirements for responding to biological spills in labs working at Biosafety Level 1 (BSL1) BSL2 and/or BSL2+.
Policy or guideline
Bloodborne pathogens exposure control plan
This plan is intended to protect employees from exposure to bloodborne pathogens such as the hepatitis B virus (HBV), the HIV virus, the hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human T-cell lymphotropic viruses. The following information is included to comply with regulations: exposure determination, methods of compliance, HIV/HBV laboratories, hepatitis B vaccination, communication of hazards, and procedure for evaluation of circumstances surrounding exposure.
How-to