Missouri University of Science and Technology’s Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) is charged by federal law to review and approve elements of the campus’ biosafety program. The purpose of this program is to ensure the health and safety of all personnel working with biohazardous materials. Biohazardous materials include synthetic or recombinant nucleic acids, microorganisms and viruses that cause infectious diseases, and federal select agents.

The federal regulations and guidelines include the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules (NIH Guidelines), the Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL), 5th Edition, and the Federal Select Agents Regulations. These form the basis for campus biosafety policies and procedures, and are referred to when individual research proposals are reviewed for biosafety concerns.

The IBC consists of members with expertise and research experience in biohazardous materials and biosafety serving to prevent potential risks to human health or the environment. The committee is composed of faculty members that possess knowledge of toxicology and microbiology, a biological safety officer, the director of S&T Department of Environmental Health and Safety, and Rolla citizens (a human pathologist and a water testing expert) who are not affiliated with S&T. The campus’ Senior Compliance Manager is an ex officio member of the committee.

Any Missouri University of Science and Technology personnel who plans to conduct research, no matter whether funded or not, involving federally regulated biohazardous materials are required to apply to the Missouri S&T IBC for approval. The required documents are listed below on this website. Any questions in the context of application should be addressed to Dr. Melanie R. Mormile, Chair of the IBC.

Contact Information:
Dr. Melanie R. Mormile
Professor of Biological Sciences
G-32 Schrenk Hall
Phone: 573-341-6346
E-mail: mmormile@mst.edu