What is an Institutional Biosafety Committee?

An Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) is a federally mandated review body that provides local oversight of research involving recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules. Established under the NIH Guidelines, an IBC assesses a study’s biosafety risks, including the study agent, the containment levels and procedures required to conduct the work safely, the preparedness of the facility and its personnel, and the potential impact on the environment. Every IBC includes members with relevant scientific expertise along with non-affiliated members who represent the interests of the surrounding community.