Biosafety Program
The Biosafety Program provides consulting and regulatory assistance on the safe use of biological agents in research, including the packaging and shipping of biohazardous agents. It hosts the Institutional Biosafety Committee and facilitates safe, ethical, and responsible research with biological agents that can cause disease or harm to humans, animals, or the environment.
Program Overview
We support the advancement of Dartmouth biological research by:
- Assisting our scientists in the adherence to all federal, state, and local requirements for biological research
- Providing training, risk assessment consultations, and laboratory safety audits
- Developing institutional and lab specific policies on the safe handling of biohazardous materials, including engineering and work practice controls, biosafety levels, and personal protective equipment requirements
Our priorities
- Prevent laboratory acquired infections (LAIs)
- Facilitate research compliance
- Protect the environment
- Promote a positive culture around laboratory safety
About Biological Research
Biological research is any experimental activity involving the following biological agents:
- Human source materials (includes primary and immortal cell lines, clinical specimens, samples, tissues, etc.)
- Animals and animal source materials
- Plants and plant source materials
- Recombinant and synthetic DNA/RNA (including all viral vectors, RNAi technologies, etc.), as stipulated by the NIH/Office of Science Policy Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules
- Microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi, prions, yeast, algae, rickettsiae, parasites, etc.)
- Biological toxins, allergens
Contact
For specific questions or to learn more about our Biosafety Program, please email Erik Pietrowicz, MS, Research and Biological Safety Officer, Environmental Health & Safety, or phone (603) 646-9790.