Research Involving Recombinant DNA
1. Institutional Biosafety Committee
The LEWIS & CLARK Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) shall oversee research involving recombinant DNA performed at LEWIS & CLARK in order to protect the health and safety of employees and the public regarding such research. Members shall be appointed by the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS). At least two members from the public shall be appointed as prescribed by federal guidelines. A majority of members of the IBC shall constitute a quorum. Appointments shall be for a term of three years. Once a committee member completes his or her term, or resigns from the committee, a replacement will be recommended to the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
2. Research Proposals and Protocols; Gene Research
A. No employee may conduct research involving recombinant DNA or infectious agents and transfer vectors at LEWIS & CLARK, or that is sponsored by LEWIS & CLARK, without approval from the IBC and compliance with applicable requirements. Participation in research at other institutions by LEWIS & CLARK faculty or research staff is expected to be approved by that institution's IBC.
B. The IBC shall review all research proposals or protocols involving the use of recombinant DNA and associated transfer vectors.
C. Any research involving human subjects and recombinant DNA shall be reviewed and approved by both the IBC and the Human Subjects Research Committee (also known as the Institutional Review Board, or "IRB"). This includes any research in which a LEWIS & CLARK investigator is a collaborator, including work being conducted outside of LEWIS & CLARK.
3. Suspensions
A. The IBC shall review concerns involving the use of recombinant DNA and shall suspend an activity that it previously approved if it determines that the activity is not being conducted in accord with requirements of the National Institutes of Health or other government regulations. The IBC may suspend an activity only at a meeting of the IBC where a quorum is present.
B. If the IBC votes to suspend an activity, the Chairperson shall notify the Dean of the CAS of such decision, and the Dean shall notify the Principal Investigator (PI), the appropriate Program Director or Department Chair, and the IRB (if human subjects are involved). In consultation with the IBC, the Dean shall review the reasons for the suspension, take appropriate corrective action, and report that action with a full explanation to the NIH Office for Biotechnology Activities in accordance with NIH policy of reporting serious adverse events.
C. In cases where the IBC cannot be assembled in a timely fashion, the Dean of the CAS, in consultation with the IBC Chairperson, is empowered to act on the IBC's behalf and immediately suspend any activity that is not, in the Dean's judgment, being conducted in accord with applicable governmental and institutional regulations and policies including, without limitation, provisions of the National Institutes of Health Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules (“NIH Guidelines”).
D. A suspended activity may be reinstated only after approval by a majority of the quorum present at a meeting of the IBC.
4. IBC Procedures
The IBC may establish practices, procedures and protocols to insure compliance with all governmental and institutional regulations, including but not limited to the NIH Guidelines, and requirements that research protocols incorporate all IBC stipulations and requirements; that research designs contain reasonable safeguards necessary to protect research personnel, the public and the environment; and provisions for review of research at intervals appropriate to the degree of risk, including conditions under which the research should be continued or discontinued. All decisions of the IBC concerning research, and recommended practices, procedures and protocols shall be reported to the Dean of the CAS for implementation.
5. IBC Coordination Other Reviewers
The IBC shall function independently of, but in coordination with other institutional committees. The IBC may approve, approve with conditions/modifications, or disapprove all research activities that fall within its jurisdiction as specified by both governmental and institutional policies. Approval by the IBC, in and of itself shall not constitute approval for full implementation since a protocol may be subject to review and disapproval by other LEWIS & CLARK research review bodies. In turn, no institutional officials or committees may approve the conduct of research that has been disapproved by the LEWIS & CLARK IBC.
NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules
Approved by the Executive Council, August 9, 2006.
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