IBC Guidelines
Principal Investigators (PIs) are responsible for full compliance with the NIH guidelines during the conduct of research involving recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules.
PIs are responsible to:
- Be adequately trained in good microbiological techniques.
- Provide laboratory research staff with protocols describing potential biohazards and necessary precautions.
- Instruct and train laboratory staff in: (i) the practices and techniques required to ensure safety, and (ii) the procedures for dealing with accidents.
- Inform the laboratory staff of the reasons and provisions for any precautionary medical practices advised or requested (e.g., vaccinations or serum collection).
- Supervise laboratory staff to ensure that the required safety practices and techniques are employed.
- Correct work errors and conditions that may result in the release of recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid materials.
- Ensure the integrity of physical containment (e.g., biological safety cabinets) and biological containment (e.g., host-vector systems that preclude survival of the agent outside the laboratory).
- Comply with permit and shipping requirements for recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules.
- Adhere to IBC-approved emergency plans for handling accidental spills and personnel contamination.