Committee Composition & Expertise

Federal Requirements

The NIH Guidelines state that the IBC must be composed of at no fewer than five members and the following are required members :

  1. least two members unaffiliated with the university other than their membership on the committee,
  2. an expert in plant biology and plant containment principles if work is this area is conducted,
  3. an expert in animal containment principles if work is this area is conducted,
  4. a human gene transfer expert if work in this area is conducted,
  5. a biological safety officer if large scale, or BSL3 or 4 work is conducted, and
  6. members with expertise in recombinant DNA (rDNA) or synthetic nucleic acid molecule research.

UIC IBC Composition

  1. The committee is appointed by the Vice Chancellor for Research, the Institutional Official for the IBC. The composition is shown below:
    1. One chair- a scientist with expertise in molecular biology and/or microbiology.
    2. Scientific members with expertise in the areas of bacteriology, biochemistry, botany, medicine, molecular biology, physiology, veterinary medicine, and virology.
    3. Safety members with expertise in biosafety and other safety related areas.
    4. HGT/Clinical Trial expert reviewer (ad hoc)
    5. Two unaffiliated members.
  2. The committee is charged with reviewing and approving all research involving rDNA or synthetic nucleic acids and/or infectious agents/toxins.