Biosafety

Biosafety and related training is required for anyone associated with work in biological laboratories, for both research and teaching purposes. The training ensures that you are trained in basic biological safety principles and that you are aware of the federal guidelines and institutional policies before beginning work in labs at Indiana University.

Your protocol submission to the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) will not be considered complete or ready for approval until all training requirements have been satisfied. However, you may submit to the IBC before your training is complete and complete required training while the submission is under review. Approval for new protocols and 5-year renewals will not be granted until all training is up to date and not set to expire within the next 3 months. New personnel may not begin work until all training is up to date and not set to expire within the next 3 months.

Training requirements vary by the types of biohazardous materials involved in a protocol. All required courses are offered online, and some are offered in a classroom setting. Please note, as of April 2024, the IBC no longer accepts training completed in Canvas. If you previously completed IBC related training in Canvas, please retake them in CITI when they expire. 

1. Biosafety Training (CITI: IUEHS Biosafety Training)
   • Biosafety Training is required for all personnel listed on an IBC protocol and is required only once, pending any significant changes to the biological safety program or institutional policies.
   • This training is available through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI).
2. NIH Guidelines Training (CITI: “NIH Recombinant DNA Guidelines”)
   
   • NIH Guidelines training is required for all personnel listed on an IBC protocol that falls under the any section of NIH Guidelines and is required every 5 years.
   • Any institution that receives any funding from the NIH must adhere to the NIH Guidelines.
   • This training is available through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI).
3. Bloodborne Pathogens Training (CITI: “Bloodborne Pathogens Training for IBC Researchers”)
   
   • If an IBC protocol involves work with any human or non-human primate blood, fluids, cells, or tissues, Bloodborne Pathogens training is required by all personnel on that protocol. Bloodborne Pathogens training is required annually. (OSHA BBP Standard 1910.1030(g)(2)(iv))
   • This training is available through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI).
   • Note: The questions in the “Hepatitis B Declination” module that follows the Bloodborne Pathogens quiz must be answered in for the Bloodborne Pathogens training to be completed in CITI. These questions are mandated by OSHA. Please answer them as best you can. Your responses will not impact your ability to receive the Hepatitis B vaccine. If you have not yet received the HBV vaccine but plan to get vaccinated, respond with Option 2, that you are making an informed decision to accept the vaccine.
4. N95 Respiratory Protection Training and In-Person Fitting (CITI: “IUEHS Filtering Facepiece Respirator (N95/P100) Training”)
   
   • N95 training and fit testing are required when the IBC risk assessment determines that an N95 respirator is necessary for personnel working with infectious agents outside of a biosafety cabinet. Both the online training and in-person fitting are required annually.
   • This training is available through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI).
   • All personnel required to use respiratory protection must have an in-person respirator fitting.
     • After completing the online training and quiz, please contact either IUI or IUB EHS (depending on your campus) to schedule the N95 respirator fitting.
       • IUI EHS: ehs@iu.edu
       • IUB EHS: iuehs@iu.edu
   • Prior to the fit testing appointment, personnel must complete a respirator medical questionnaire form. This questionnaire should be brought to the fitting:
     • IUI Respirator Medical Questionnaire Form
     • IUB Respirator Medical Questionnaire Form
   • If you have any questions about accessing the training, please contact EHS at either ehs@iu.edu (IUI) or iuehs@iu.edu (IUB).
5. Dual Use Research of Concern (DURC):
   • DURC training is required for all personnel listed on an IBC protocol that involves work with any of the Dual Use agents listed in the United States Government Policy for Oversight of Life Sciences Dual Use Research of Concern or any other non-attenuated agent or toxin. This list is also found in Section VI, Question 1 of the IBC Protocol Form. DURC training is required annually.
   • This training is available through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI). Additional training may be required depending on the nature of the work being conducted in your lab.

For assistance accessing any of the courses listed above, please contact ibc@iu.edu.