At LIMR, safety is a priority in all aspects of our research. There are four committees within LIMR that oversee laboratory safety: the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), Institutional Chemical Safety Committee (ICC), Institutional Radioactive Safety Committee (IRC) and the LIMR General Safety Committee. These groups develop, implement, and coordinate the laboratory, biological, chemical and radiation safety programs for all of LIMR’s research laboratories. In addition, the LIMR General Safety Committee assists Principal Investigators in providing training on general laboratory safety and overseeing the proper use and disposal of hazardous materials.
The LIMR IBC oversees research involving recombinant DNA, pathogenic organisms, and/or human or non-human primate derived materials (e.g., cell lines, tissues, fluid). Additionally, the Committee oversees all projects involving infectious agents (RG-2 and RG-3) and certain toxins, which are on the CDC Select agents list.
It is the responsibility of the Principal Investigator to submit the proposed research to the LIMR IBC, ICC, and/or IRC for approval before the research has begun. Research may not begin until the study protocol has been reviewed and approved by the respective safety committees.