Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)

The Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) is responsible for reviewing all University research and teaching activities involving the use of biohazards, recombinant DNA molecules, select agents, or bloodborne pathogens whether the activities are carried out on campus or off campus (usually under other Institutional Biosafety Committees).

The IBC will review and authorize for 3 years research involving: any biological agents, infected animals or tissues (including field work), recombinant DNA, Select Agents & Toxins, and work with human blood, bodily fluids, tissues or cells in culture. Most biological research requires IBC authorization prior to initiation.

The IBC also serves as the Institutional Review Entity (IRE)  for Dual Use Research of Concern  (DURC).  DURC is defined as life sciences research that, based on current understanding, can be reasonably anticipated to provide knowledge, information, products, or technologies that could be directly misapplied to pose a significant threat with broad potential consequences to public health and safety, agricultural crops and other plants, animals, the environment, materiel, or national security.  The UW Institutional Contact for DURC is the Biological Safety Specialist.

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Members of the Institutional Biosafety Committee:

Grant Bowman (Chair) - Department of Molecular Biology

David Perry - Ph.D., Retired

Hannah Goodnight (BSO, IBC Contact) - UW Safety Office

Yun Li - Zoology and Physiology

Holly Steinkraus - Department of Molecular Biology

Chelsea Mitchell - Community Member

Michelle Nunnaley - Community Member

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All inquiries can be made to biosafety@uwyo.edu or by contacting the Biological Safety Specialist at 307-766-2723.

Scheduled UW IBC Meetings

The IBC meets monthly. The next scheduled meetings are:

• May 21, 2025; June 18, 2025; July 16, 2025; August 20, 2025. Dates are subject to change

• IBC meetings are at 9AM on the Third Wednesday of each month. This is subject to change month to month. Contact the Biological Safety Specialist for further information about attending the meetings.

• 2025 Monthly Schedule

IBC Meeting Minutes

 

IBC Documents

• Procedure for Registering Research with the IBC
• Biological Agent and Toxin Usage Registrations
• Recombinant DNA Registration
• IBC Annual Update Form
• Medical Card Form

DURC-PEPP Documents

• Dual Use Research of Concern Program
• PI Self-Assessment Tool
• IRE Assessment Form

IBC Required Training

• CITI Training for Research Instructions (After following steps 1-9, scroll to item #15 for Biohazards)