Institutional Biosafety Committee

What needs to be reviewed by the IBC?

Principal investigators are responsible for submitting protocol applications in advance of any research or teaching activity that includes, but is not limited to:

  • All use of recombinant DNA (rDNA) or synthetic nucleic acid molecules, regardless of Biosafety Level (subject to the NIH Guidelines)
    • Viral vectors or plasmid vectors
    • Transgenic/Knock-in/Knock-Out animals (see OBA Transgenic Animal FAQs)
    • Genetically modified plants
    • Transfer of rDNA or synthetic nucleic acid molecules into human participants
    • Transactive or infectious proteins
  • Use of the following non-recombinant biological materials requires biosafety level 2 or higher containment:
    • Infectious agents
    • Prion proteins
    • Biohazards (e.g.: human or non-human primate tissues or fluids)
    • Select agents or toxins

If your research or teaching activities involve any of the above, you must submit an Institutional Biosafety Committee protocol.

Learn about the review process

FAQs

Limited general information about all active protocols has been transferred (i.e., migrated) into the Kuali Protocols system on your behalf. Items such as research personnel, research locations, and sections of the NIH guidelines have been transferred. All other information will need to be manually transferred from your paper protocol into Kuali Protocols during your first submission in the system.

The Kuali Protocol (KP IBC) system calculates the annual renewal date based on the month and day of the original protocol approval. The system will continue to send expiration reminders until the annual renewal submission is approved. 

The new system features a user interface that only presents relevant questions based on the user's type of research. This built-in smart logic captures experimental details succinctly and concisely. The system improves the experience of managing protocol reviews, retaining protocol records, and amending and renewing protocols. Researchers will always have access within the system to the approved copy of their protocols and can submit updates for review at the click of a button.

 

Upon logging into Kuali Protocols you will be taken to the Manage Protocols screen. On this screen you will see a list of all Kuali Protocols you are personnel on. This list will include IRB and IBC protocols.

If you would like to only see IBC protocols, you can use the Advanced Filter feature and set your Filter Rules to Where - Type - is equal to - IBC. The same feature can be used to filter for only IRB studies by replacing IBC with IRB in the Advanced Filter.

General information about the types of host cells/cell lines, tissues, blood/blood products, and viral vectors should be included in the Biological Materials section. Cell lines, tissues, blood/blood products, or fluids for a single species should be entered as one row in the Biological Materials list. For example, if a researcher is using both HeLa cells and HEK293 cells, they should list “Human Cells” as one row. If a researcher is using both human blood and tissue, they should add an entry for “Human blood or blood derivatives” and a separate entry for “Human tissue.” The researcher may describe the individual lines or specifics about materials in the Research Description.

Each strain of microorganisms, bacteria, viral vector particles, or virus must be listed in an individual row in the Biological Materials list. There is a link in the first question in the Biological Material(s) section that can be used to see a full list of biological materials that can be entered in the table.

 

Contact the Institutional Biosafety Committee

The Indiana University Institutional Biosafety Committee Office provides support to all IU campuses. Contact the IBC Office at IBC@iu.edu or 812-855-0656. You may also schedule a virtual meeting with a member of the IBC Office.