Biological Research Approval

All biological research, teaching, and/or diagnostics at LSU and the LSU AgCenter is to be conducted using accepted biological safety practices and in full compliance with university policies and all applicable federal rules and regulations relating to such activities. Accordingly, all projects involving any biological material, recombinant DNA, pathogens of humans, livestock, animals, and plants, and biological toxins must be registered and reviewed by the Inter-Institutional Biological and Recombinant DNA Safety Committee (IBRDSC).

If your research, teaching, and/or diagnostics involves biohazards, and/or recombinant or synthetic nucleic acids it must be reviewed by the IBRDSC at least every three years to ensure biohazards are handled safely from creation to destruction.  The National Institutes of Health (NIH) mandates that LSU establish and maintain an Institutional Biosafety Committee for review and approval of all research involving recombinant DNA and biohazards.

What are Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules?

According to the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA, recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules are defined as:

1. Molecules that:
   1. Are constructed by joining nucleic acid molecules and
   2. Can replicate in a living cell (i.e. recombinant nucleic acids).
2. Nucleic acid molecules that are chemically or by other means synthesized or amplified including those that are chemically or otherwise modified nucleotides and can base pair with naturally occurring nucleic acid molecules (i.e. synthetic nucleic acids).
3. Molecules that result from the replication of those processes described in (1) and (2).  

Activities which Require Review by the IBRDSC

The following is a list of research, teaching activities, and diagnostics that requires review by the IBRDSC prior to commencement of said research. This list is not comprehensive. If you are unsure if your work falls into one of the following categories, please contact the the Biological Safety Manager for assistance.

• Potentially biohazardous materials
  • Organisms such as fungi, bacteria, parasites, protozoa, rickettsia, prions, and viruses that can cause disease in animals, plants, and/or humans. 
  • Biological toxins
  • Organisms, agents, or toxins that require Federal permits including APHIS, CDC, EPA and FDA. 
  • Organisms that have the potential to cause environmental or agricultural impact.
• Other Potentially Infectious Materials
  • Human and/or primate tissues, fluids, cells, and cell culture.
• Environmental Samples
  • Water and soil samples.
  • Plant materials.
  • Animal materials including grocery store meats, oysters, etc.  
• Animal Work
  
  • Animals infected with fungi, bacteria, parasites, protozoa, rickettsia, prions, and viruses that can cause disease in animals, plants, and/or humans.
  • Animals infected with oncogenic viruses.
  • Animals that receive human or primate cells or cell lines. 
  • Animals harvested from the field.
  • Animal handling in the field. 
  • Animal samples received for diagnostic purposes.
• Genetically modified organisms
  • Animals, plants, and invertebrates.
  • Transgenic field trials.
  • Field testing of plants engineered to produce pharmaceutical and industrial compounds. 
• Recombinant DNA or RNA molecules, organisms, vectors (e.g., plasmids and viral vectors) and viruses containing recombinant DNA or RNA molecules.
• Recombinant or synthetically derived nucleic acids including those are chemically or otherwise modified analogs of nucleotides.

Recombinant DNA, pathogen, and toxin oversight activities will be conducted according to the most recent editions of the CDC/NIH publications NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules and Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories 6th Edition. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in suspension or termination of research activities and/or funding. Please carefully review the NIH guidelines and requirements below to ensure compliance with the requirements for all projects. 

How Do I Register My Work? 

The Biological Safety Registration Document is electronic. After clicking on the link below, you must enter your LSU or LSU AgCenter username & password to enter the document. The same document is used for registration with the Inter-Institutional Biological Recombinant DNA Safety Committee (IBRDSC) and the LSU AgCenter’s Institutional Biosafety Committee(LSUAC-IBC).  The electronic form will direct you to the appropriate committee by how you answer the questions.  You must fully complete each question to move to the next screen.  If you have problems or questions, please contact:

Abigail Fish, PhD,
Biological Safety Manager
212 Administrative Support Building, LSU Campus
Phone: 225-578-4658
Email: [email protected].

Link to Old IBRDSC Database.  If you have previous submissions and wish to review your submission before re-registering in the new system.

IBRDSC Registration New Database