Registration Process

The biosafety protocol registration process involves providing the Institutional Biosafety Committee with a risk assessment and information about physical and biological containment approaches, work and safety practices, and other details about planned activities. This information is captured in the IBC Registration Form. Although the form is lengthy, only the sections that apply to a specific laboratory or project must be completed. If activities will involve recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid (rsNA) molecules, please reference the NIH Guidelines as you fill out the form. Additional resources for identifying risk group levels and appropriate safety precautions are available on the Resources page.

Low-risk rsNA activities may qualify for exemption from the NIH Guidelines requirements. As of January 6, 2025, for qualifying exempt activities, a registration form must still be submitted to the IBC prior to the commencement of activities. Activities may begin once the PI has received an exemption approval letter from the IBC. This ensures exemption is appropriately determined before activities begin and the IBC has a record of these activities occurring in various campus facilities.

Submit completed IBC Registration Forms to [email protected] 30 days prior to the anticipated commencement of activities to allow appropriate time for review by the IBC. The IBC review process is shown below. The IBC meets on the 4th Monday of each month (or as needed) to review registration submissions and updates. If your registration requires full committee review, please adjust your project start date with the meeting schedule in mind. If you have questions about the registration process, please contact [email protected] — the IBC Administrator or Chair will be happy to assist.

The IBC communicates primarily through email. Please be sure that your email client is accepting emails from [email protected].

IBC Review Process Flowchart