Institutional Biosafety Committee
Function
- Advises administrators and faculty on current federal and state policies and regulations concerning biohazardous materials and research involving recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules
- Reviews and provides guidance on proposed research projects to be conducted by the institution for all research involving potentially biohazardous materials, which must be approved by the committee to be conducted, and maintains log of all proposed and active projects
- Develops and maintains a central reference file to serve as a source of information for the University community on current regulations associated with biohazardous agents and guidelines for research involving recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules
- Provides reports as required
Composition and tenure
- Faculty who collectively have experience and expertise in recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules technologies, biohazardous agents, and genetically modified organisms, the capability to assess the safety of such research and to identify any potential risk to the public or the environment, including at least one faculty member with expertise in plant, plant pathogens, or plant pest containment principles and at least 1 faculty member with expertise in animal containment principles, appointed by the vice president for research, typically with 3-year terms (F)
- At least 1 member representing the laboratory technical staff, with experience in the area of recombinant DNA technology and biohazardous agents, with a 3-year term (A/P-S)
- At least 2 members not affiliated with the University who represent the interest of the surrounding community with respect to health and protection of the environment, with 3-year terms (non-WSU)
- Biological safety officer (X)
- Director, Office of Research Assurances, or designee, who serves as secretary (X)
- Director, Office of the Campus Veterinarian (X)
Chair shall be appointed by the vice president for research.
Responsible to the president through the vice president for research.
Committee membership
Sanguinet, Karen
Plant Pathology (F)
Chair-2023
Committee term end: 2025
Chair-2023
Committee term end: 2025
Goodman, Alan
School of Molecular Bio sciences (F)
Committee term end: 2025
Committee term end: 2025
Heston, Mike
Community member (non-WSU)
Committee term end: 2025
Committee term end: 2025
Kapás, Levente
Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine (F)
Committee Term end: 2025
Committee Term end: 2025
Kluzik, Mike
Office of Research Assurances (X)
Ex officio
Ex officio
Letko, Michael
School for Global Health (F)
Committee term end:2024
Committee term end:2024
O’Loughlin, Jason (Levi)
Biological safety officer (X)
Ex officio
Ex officio
Pappu, Hanu
Plant Pathology (F)
Committee term end: 2023
Committee term end: 2023
Schwager, Ryan
Office of Research Assurances (X)
Alternate Member
Committee term end: 2025
Alternate Member
Committee term end: 2025
Smertenko, Andrei
Institute of Biological Chemistry (F)
Alternate Member
Committee term end: 2024
Alternate Member
Committee term end: 2024
Thomashow, Linda
Plant Pathology (A/P-S)
Alternate Member
Committee term end: 2023
Alternate Member
Committee term end: 2023
Weller, Nathan D.
Community member (non-WSU)
Committee term end: 2024
Committee term end: 2024
Woodford, Nina
Campus Veterinarian (X)
Ex officio
Ex officio
Zhu, Jiyue
College of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences (F)
Committee term end: 2025
Committee term end: 2025