The OUHSC Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) has the charge of reviewing and approving the biological safety of all OUHSC and OU-Tulsa basic and clinical research activities involving recombinant and synthetic nucleic acid molecule,* gene transfer including transfer to humans, microorganisms, viruses, and biological toxins.
The OU-Norman IBC has the charge of reviewing and approving all such work at OU-Norman.
For information concerning campus-specific procedures/policies, please select the appropriate campus in the Policies Header located at the top of the page. The definition of recombinant and synthetic nucleic acid molecule includes:
- molecules that a) are constructed by joining nucleic acid molecules and b) that can replicate in a living cell, i.e., recombinant nucleic acids;
- nucleic acid molecules that are chemically or by other means synthesized or amplified, including those that are chemically or otherwise modified but can base pair with naturally occurring nucleic acid molecules, i.e., synthetic nucleic acids, or
- molecules that result from the replication of those described in either of the above.*
* Note that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules has identified criteria for synthetic nucleic acids that are exempt from the NIH requirements. Specifically, synthetic nucleic acids molecules are exempt that:
- can neither replicate nor generate nucleic acids that can replicate in any living cell (e.g., oligonucleotides or other synthetic nucleic acids that do not contain an origin of replication or contain elements known to interact with either DNA or RNA polymerase), and
- are not designed to integrate into DNA, and
- do not produce a toxin that is lethal for vertebrates at an LD50 of less than 100 nanograms per kilogram body weight.
For OUHSC TOPAZ Users
You may now access TOPAZ Elements at (http://topaz.ouhsc.edu) . Instructions on accessing Topaz Elements may be found here: Accessing Topaz Elements If you have downloaded and successfully logged into Pulse Secure but are still unable to access Elements or if you are able to log into Elements but do not see any menu options, please contact the IBC office at IBC@ouhsc.edu for assistance.
For new accounts please click here to fill out the TOPAZ Elements Access Form