Frequently Asked Questions

I receive no funding from the NIH. Do I have to notify the IBC?
I receive no external funding. Do I have to register?
I only work with plants and Agrobacterium. Do I have to register?
I only perform transgenic research in Arabidopsis. Do I have to register?
I work with Drosophila and create mutants of Drosophila with P element-mediated transformation. Do I have to complete the IBC form?
I work with mouse tissue culture and mouse gene transfections. Why do I have to register exempt work?
I work with human tissue/cell cultures. Why do I have to fill out an IBC application and have my lab certified at BSL-2?
I only work with RG1 agents at the BSL-1 level so I am exempt from any registration. Why are you bothering me?
How do I know what I need for Biosafety level 2 research?
How do I find out what Biosafety level I am supposed to use for the material that I work with?
I am moving my lab to another area. What do I have to do?
OK, so what exactly does registering with the IBC mean?
I have a fellowship grant to conduct recombinant DNA research. Do I have to register?
I am working with E. coli K12, plasmids and Saccharomyces. Do I have to register with the IBC?
What is going on with chemicals and the Department of Homeland Security?
Can I do Select Agent research at MSU?
How do I get my biological safety cabinet certified?
When do I need to enroll in the Occupational Health and Safety Program?
What do I do if I see lab workers eating in labs, wearing sandals, or doing other unsafe practices?
How do I report an accident

I receive no funding from the NIH. Do I have to notify the IBC?
Yes. If your research involves infectious agents (human, animal, plant), recombinant nucleic acids, biological toxins, or human specimens, you must register with the Mississippi State University Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC). A broad collaborative initiative led by the CDC and the NIH have led to the acceptance and use of national biosafety guidelines. Noncompliance with these guidelines can result in funding difficulties with the federal government which can affect ALL federally funded biological science research at the University. The USDA, FDA and the EPA also have regulations covering work with transgenic plants and animals. The University has tasked the IBC with formulating and recommending biosafety policies and establishing procedures, as well as reviewing research involving matters relating to biosafety for compliance and approving projects judged to be compliant. The University has further charged the IBC with responsibility for (a) oversight and establishment of procedures and policies regarding disposal of non- radioactive biohazardous wastes, (b) reviewing and advising with regard to situations which represent potential biological hazards, and (c) reviewing research personnel, facilities, procedures, and proposals in the area of recombinant DNA technology.

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I receive no external funding. Do I have to register?
Yes. If your research involves infectious agents (human, animal, plant), recombinant nucleic acids, biological toxins, or human specimens, you must register with the Mississippi State University Institutional Biosafety Committee. A broad collaborative initiative led by the CDC and the NIH have led to the acceptance and use of national biosafety guidelines. Noncompliance with these guidelines can result in funding difficulties with the federal government which can affect ALL federally funded biological science research at the University.
I only work with plants and Agrobacterium. Do I have to register? Yes. You must register with the IBC and comply with the USDA guidelines and regulations for containment of transgenic plant and plant materials as well as those of the NIH and CDC.
I only perform transgenic research in Arabidopsis. Do I have to register? Yes. You must register with the IBC and comply with the USDA guidelines and regulations for containment of transgenic plant and plant materials as well as those of the NIH and CDC.
I work with Drosophila and create mutants of Drosophila with P element-mediated transformation. Do I have to complete the IBC form? It depends. Whether this research has to receive full IBC review and approval depends upon the genes being introduced back into Drosophila. The BSO will determine if full review and approval are required. Use the Research Biosafety Review Form available on the biosafety website under “Forms”.
I work with mouse tissue culture and mouse gene transfections. Why do I have to register exempt work? The IBC is charged with registering ALL recombinant DNA research even “exempt” work. Whether this research requires full IBC review and approval depends upon the genes being introduced into the tissue culture. The BSO and IBC Chair will make this decision. For a more detailed description of the experiments covered by the NIH Guidelines go to Section III http://www4.od.nih.gov/oba/rac/guidelines_02/NIH_Gdlnes_lnk_2002z.pdf.

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I work with human tissue/cell cultures. Why do I have to fill out an IBC application and have my lab certified at BSL-2? Any work with human cell or tissue culture, even commercially derived (e.g. ATCC) is considered to be “other potentially infectious material (OPIM)” as per 29 CFR 1910. 1030, the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard...

“Other Potentially Infectious Materials means (1) The following human body fluids: semen, vaginal secretions, cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, pleural fluid, pericardial fluid, peritoneal fluid, amniotic fluid, saliva in dental procedures, any body fluid that is visibly contaminated with blood, and all body fluids in situations where it is difficult or impossible to differentiate between body fluids; (2) Any unfixed tissue or organ (other than intact skin) from a human (living or dead); and (3) HIV-containing cell or tissue cultures, organ cultures, and HIV- or HBV-containing culture medium or other solutions; and blood, organs, or other tissues from experimental animals infected with HIV or HBV.”

Due to the possibility that the material can harbor HIV, HBV, HCV or other bloodborne pathogens and the seriousness of these diseases, BSL-2 practices are required. The other two requirements are that all personnel complete Bloodborne Pathogens training offered by the Biosafety Office and an Exposure Control Plan (ECP) is written, approved by the BSO and made available to all lab personnel. A template for an ECP is available on the biosafety website under “Forms”.
I only work with RG1 agents at the BSL-1 level so I am exempt from any registration. Why are you bothering me? Compliance depends upon what you are doing and with what material. It may be that the wildlife you have been working with for the past ten years is now infected with a zoonotic, infectious agent. Or it may be that the NIH Guidelines and the BMBL have been updated and/or reinterpreted. The BSO can determine if you must simply register (fill out the Research Biosafety Review form) or submit a full IBC application. Contact the BSO to discuss your research and what the next steps might be.
How do I know what I need for Biosafety level 2 research? The standards for research and clinical laboratories are published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is the “Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories” (BMBL) at http://www.cdc.gov/od/ohs/biosfty/bmbl5/bmbl5toc.htm
How do I find out what Biosafety level I am supposed to use for the material that I work with? There are a number of resources available to help determine what biosafety level to use. They include: the BMBL (see link above), the American Type Tissue Culture (ATCC) www.atcc.org, Health Canada http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/msds-ftss/index.html, the American Biological Safety Association (ABSA) http://www.absa.org/XriskgroupsX/index.html.

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I am moving my lab to another area. What do I have to do? Go to the Biosafety Forms page, find and follow the Lab Exit Checklist. Then fill out the IBC update/modification form and send to the BSO. Next, contact the BSO to schedule a survey of the new laboratory location BEFORE you are moved in to ensure that it is suitable for your research and to recommend equipment placement. Contact the BSO for the final inspection after the biological safety cabinet has been moved and recertified.
OK, so what exactly does registering with the IBC mean? Depending upon the type of research being conducted and with what biological material, registration can range from simply notifying the Biosafety Office of the research using the Research Biosafety Review Form or registration can entail the submission of the complete IBC application with subsequent review and approval by the full IBC.
I have a fellowship grant to conduct recombinant DNA research. Do I have to register? Probably not. Check with the Principal Investigator of your fellowship position. If that person is registered with the IBC and your research is part of that PI’s research, then you do not have to register again. If your research will be quite different from the protocol that received IBC approval, then the PI needs to register your project with the IBC.
I am working with E. coli K12, plasmids and Saccharomyces. Do I have to register with the IBC? Yes. Depending upon the types of genetic material being manipulated, this may be a simple registration with the BSO or it may require full review and approval by the IBC.
What is going on with chemicals and the Department of Homeland Security? The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) finalized Appendix A of the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) in the Federal Register on November 20, 2007. The list of "Chemicals of Interest" is significantly different from the proposed rule published in April 2007. Go to the Campus Safety Health and Environmental Management Association website for updates. http://www.cshema.org/about/dhs.cfm

This is the URL for the DHS Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards http://www.dhs.gov/xprevprot/laws/gc_1166796969417.shtm
Can I do Select Agent research at MSU? No, unfortunately at this time, MSU does not have the facilities in which to perform BSL-3/4 work.
How do I get my biological safety cabinet certified? At this time, MSU does not have a campus wide certification program. Contact your Department Head for procedures specific to your area.
When do I need to enroll in the Occupational Health and Safety Program? You must enroll in the Program if you will be working with or around animals. Go to this link for more information http://www.orc.msstate.edu/animals/ohsp.php.
What do I do if I see lab workers eating in labs, wearing sandals, or doing other unsafe practices? Contact your PI or lab supervisor if it occurs in your lab. If you see things happening in other labs, contact the BSO. Your report will remain anonymous.
How do I report an accident? It is very important to report both actual accidents and near-misses. Tell your PI or lab supervisor as soon as possible. It is also very helpful to get the BSO involved because by analyzing the events surrounding the occurrence, we can come up with ways (more effective administrative controls, new or different equipment, changes to procedures) to eliminate or reduce the chance of the accident occurring again. Laboratory-acquired infections as well as accidental release of agricultural pathogens (loss of containment) can have a devastating effect both personally and economically.