Authors: Kalpana Rengarajan PhD & Rashida Moore DVM
As a result of the recent changes in research funding EHSO-Research Safety has received several requests for Biosafety approvals for new Just in Time (JIT) applications and other continuing/renewal funding. Please remember to submit protocols for renewal by the renewal submission date listed in the approval letter. Protocol submission also includes up-to-date training and occupational health requirements as applicable. EHSO is committed to our collaborations and partnerships with the research community and will continue to facilitate and support safe research activities at Emory University.
Please note that the Blood Borne Pathogen (BBP) training, which is part of the annual training required per the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) (initial and refresher), has recently been updated. Both new modules will be rolled out in two weeks. Please be on the lookout for new training.
Inspections or assessments are a fundamental method of preemptive risk reduction. An EHSO laboratory assessment includes risk-based evaluations EHSO Research Safety plans to enhance the frequency of this assessment program and post assessment EHSO will provide laboratory personnel with an electronic copy of the report to include corrective actions that may have been noted during the visit. This proactive program helps to ensure that research personnel have work environments to conduct research which are safe and compliant with current regulatory standards.
On March 27, 2025, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Science Policy (OSP) updated its implementation expectations to protect the safety of all Americans by reinforcing its commitment to working with Institutional Biosafety Committees (IBCs) to ensure transparency in biosafety oversight. The update included public posting of the rosters of all active IBCs registered with the OSP. The rosters identified members by name and committee role. The contact information for the IBC Chair, Biological Safety Officer, and IBC Contact were also posted. In addition, approved IBC meeting minutes were to be publicly posted on institutional websites. Principal Investigator names, IBC member names, and agents used in research could not be redacted. The provisions became effective June 1, 2025. The Biological Safety Officer presented the information to the IBC, verified that the IBC Member roster was current in the NIH-OSP IBC-Registration Management System and worked with the legal department to confirm that the existing format of the meeting minutes would fulfill the updated NIH requirements. Edits were made to the minutes based on guidance from the legal department. Emory University is in compliance and the meeting minutes are posted on the EHSO website.