Institutional Biosafety Committee

The IBC must review and approve teaching, research, and related activities involving biohazardous materials.  Biohazardous materials include materials of biological origin that could potentially cause harm to humans, animals, or plants.  Examples include recombinant DNA; transgenic animals or plants; human, animal, or plant pathogens; biological toxins (such as aflatoxin); human blood and other potentially infectious materials; and human or non-human primate cell cultures.

IBC Process Overview

1. The Principal Investigator (PI) submits a completed Biological Use Authorization (BUA) to the IBC for review and approval. Please consult the AU - IBC PI Eligibility statement.

• The BUA form is currently a fillable MS Word document.
• Submission may be made either electronically to Biosafety@auburn.edu or via campus mail to the IBC, Office of Research Integrity & Compliance, 540 Devall Drive, Suite 200, Auburn, AL 36832.

2. The IBC Chair and the Biological Safety Officer conduct a preliminary review of the BUA.  Preliminary review comments are sent to PI by the IBC Administrator.   
3. The PI revises the BUA addressing comments from the preliminary review and submits the revised BUA for IBC review (Biosafety@auburn.edu or IBC, Office of Research Integrity & Compliance, 540 Devall Drive, Suite 200, Auburn, AL 36832). 
4. The IBC Administrator distributes the BUA to all IBC members for IBC review. 
5. BSL1 activities are reviewed using an electronic process unless the activities involve rDNA. 

• BSL 1 involving rDNA and BSL 2 activities are reviewed at the monthly IBC meeting. PI’s requesting approval for BSL 2 activities must attend the IBC meeting and present their proposed activities. The PI is responsible for contacting the IBC Administrator (844-5966) to confirm meeting attendance.

The IBC may vote to:

• Approve the BUA.
• Approve the BUA pending revisions.
• Table the BUA for additional information and clarification.
• Deny approval of the BUA for stated reasons.

6. The PI will revise the BUA addressing any comments from the IBC review and resubmit the BUA (Biosafety@auburn.edu or IBC, Office of Research Integrity & Compliance, 540 Devall Drive, Suite 200, Auburn, AL 36832).
7. The IBC Administrator will provide an approval letter to the PI after all comments from the IBC have been appropriately addressed in the BUA.

• BUAs are approved for three years. 
• A renewal for an approved BUA may be requested for one additional three year period.
• A new BUA must be submitted after six years (after the initial three year approval and one additional 3 year renewal period).

Biological Use Authorization (BUA) Forms 

BUA Submissions

2024 IBC Meeting Schedule - Revised

IBC meetings are generally scheduled for the first Wednesday of each month at 1:00 pm to review all BSL1 involving rDNA and BSL2 activities. For all BL-2 or greater BUA’s, the Principal Investigator must attend the committee meeting during which their protocol is scheduled for review and present an overview of the proposed activities. The PI is responsible for contacting the IBC Administrator (844-5966) to confirm meeting attendance.

BUA’s must be submitted at least one week in advance of the IBC meeting to be included on the IBC agenda. Please send a hardcopy or an electronic copy to: biosafety@auburn.edu or IBC, Office of Research Integrity & Compliance, 540 Devall Drive, Suite 200, Auburn, AL 36832