The IBC must review and approve teaching, research, and related activities involving biohazardous materials.  Biohazardous materials include materials of biological origin that could potentially cause harm to humans, animals, or plants.  Examples include recombinant DNA; transgenic animals or plants; human, animal, or plant pathogens; biological toxins (such as aflatoxin); human blood and other potentially infectious materials; and human or non-human primate cell cultures.

IBC Process Overview

1.  The Principal Investigator (PI) submits a completed Biological Use 

      Authorization (BUA) to the IBC for review and approval.

·         The BUA form is currently a fillable MS Word -document.

·         Submission may be made either electronically to Biosafety@auburn.edu or via      

      campus mail to the IBC, Office of Research Compliance, 115 Ramsay Hall.

2.   The IBC Chair and the Biological Safety Officer conduct a preliminary review of

      the BUA.  Preliminary review comments are sent to PI by the IBC Administrator.   

3.  The PI revises the BUA addressing comments from the preliminary review and

      submits the revised BUA for IBC review (Biosafety@auburn.edu or IBC, Office   

      of Research Compliance, 115 Ramsay Hall). 

4.  The IBC Administrator distributes the BUA to all IBC members for IBC review. 

BSL 1 activities are reviewed using an electronic process unless the activities involve rDNA. 

BSL 1 involving rDNA, BSL 2, and 3 activities are reviewed at the monthly IBC meeting.  PI’s requesting approval for BSL 2 or 3 activities must attend the IBC meeting and present their proposed activities.  The PI is responsible for contacting the IBC Administrator (844-5966) to confirm meeting attendance.

The IBC may vote to:

·         Approve the BUA.

·         Approve the BUA pending revisions.

·         Table the BUA for additional information and clarification.

·         Deny approval of the BUA for stated reasons.

5.    The PI will revise the BUA addressing any comments from the IBC review and resubmit the BUA (Biosafety@auburn.edu or IBC, Office of Research Compliance, 115 Ramsay Hall).

6.   The IBC Administrator will provide an approval letter to the PI after all comments

      from the IBC have been appropriately addressed in the BUA.

·         BUAs are approved for three years. 

·         A renewal for an approved BUA may be requested for one additional three year

      period.

·         A new BUA must be submitted after six years (after the initial three year approval

      and one additional 3 year renewal period).

Biological Use Authorization (BUA) Forms

BUA Submissions

IBC meetings are scheduled for the first Wednesday of each month at 2:00 pm to review all BSL1 involving rDNA, BSL 2, and BSL 3 activities.  For all BL-2 or greater BUA’s, the Principal Investigator must attend the committee meeting during which their protocol is scheduled for review and present an overview of the proposed activities. The PI is responsible for contacting the IBC Administrator (844-5966) to confirm meeting attendance.

BUA’s must be submitted at least one week in advance of the IBC meeting to be included on the IBC agenda. Please send a hardcopy or an electronic copy to:  biosafety@auburn.edu or IBC, Office of Research Compliance, 115 Ramsay Hall

IBC Meeting Schedule  2012

IBC Membership

Dr. Frederik Van Ginkel - Chair

Shawn McNulty - Biological Safety Officer