Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)

The Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) is a federally mandated university committee responsible for reviewing research activities utilizing recombinant DNA (rDNA) and biohazardous materials (HBAs) to ensure that UTRGV Principal Investigators and research personnel are adequately trained, utilize best practices when employing biological agents and that infrastructures support the containment level required to carry out their work.

All research by UTRGV investigators that involves the following biological agents, regardless of funding source, must be reviewed and approved by the Institutional Biosafety (IBC) prior to initiation of work:

• rDNA include (1) molecules that a) are constructed by joining nucleic acid molecules and b) can replicate in a living cell, i.e. recombinant nucleic acids, or (2) nucleic acid molecules that are chemically or by other means synthesized or amplified, including those that are chemically or otherwise modified but can base pair with naturally occurring nucleic acid molecules, i.e. synthetic nucleic acids, or (3) molecules that result from the replication of those described in (1) or (2).
• HBAs consist of any microorganism/cell, virus, or toxin (such as Select Agents) of plant, animal or human origin, cell culture, parasite, including those that have been genetically modified, which may cause infection, allergy, inflammation, toxic reaction, malignancy, or otherwise produce a hazard to human, animal, plant and/or environmental health. HBAs also include select agents such as toxins and belong to BSL-2 or above risk groups according to their hazard level. 

The IBC reports to and is registered with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Science Policy (OSP) and serves in an advisory and consultative capacity to UTRGV’s Associate Vice President for Research Integrity who functions as the Institutional Official. The IBC collaborates with Environmental, Health, Safety and Risk Management (EHSRM), Post Approval Monitoring (PAM) program, and the Office of Research Compliance (ORC) to comply with federal, state, and institutional mandates, guidelines, and best practices in safety matters pertaining to rDNA and HBAs involved in research. UTRGV’s IBC reviews, approves/disapproves, or forwards applications for rDNA work to the NIH, advises on the safe handling, transport, shipment, storage, and disposal of HBAs involved in research; and advises on containment of infrastructures designated for BSL-2 and above biohazardous research.

Next IBC Meeting:

Date: Friday, October 17, 2025 

Time: 1:00 p.m - 3:30 p.m*

Location:

UTRGV Center for Innovation and Commercialization in Weslaco
307 E. Railroad St.
Weslaco, TX 78596
Room #117

IBC Resources

• Do I need an IBC Protocol?
• Laboratory Biosafety Checklist
• Immunization/Surveillance Schedule
• Common Error Checklist
• Attachments Guide
• IBC Training Guide
• HBA Training Guide
• Training Addendum
• CITI Training
• EHSRM Training
• IBC Policies and Procedures
• NIH Office of Science Policy
• NIH Guidelines
• CDC's BMBL

tick@lab Training Resources

• tick@lab IBC-HBA for Amendments-Adding Personnel 2024
• tick@lab IBC-HBA for Training-Committee Members 2024
• tick@lab IBC-HBA for New Protocol Submission 2024 V.2
• tick@lab IBC-HBA for Annual Review Submissions 2024
• tick@lab IBC-HBA for Amendments 2024 V2
• tick@lab IBC-HBA for De-novo 2024