Institutional Biosafety Committee
Charge
The committee reports to the UT System Executive Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs with local direction provided by the UTHealth Executive Vice President for Research on matters related to recombinant DNA in research, clinical and education activities at UTHealth. Specific tasks include:
- Responsible for policies and procedures relating to recombinant DNA used in UTHealth's research, clinical and educational programs.
- Ensuring UTHealth's compliance with NIH guidelines and assess the safety of recombinant DNA research experiments and any potential risk to public health or the environment.
The Environmental Health & Safety Department is designated as the monitoring and effector arm of the Institutional Biosafety Committee.
Committee Composition Chair
Designated by the President on recommendation from the Executive Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs and Executive Vice President for Research from the membership.
Membership as required by the “NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules”
Full Members: the committee shall consist of no fewer than five full members, of whom;
- At least one member from each school with appropriate rDNA technology and/or biological safety and containment expertise
- At least two community members
- A student member
Ex Officio Members: in addition, the following are designated as members without vote
- Representative from Legal Affairs
- Vice President for Safety, Health, Environment, and Risk Management
- Director, Environmental Health & Safety
- Safety Manager, Biological Safety Program
- Safety Manager, Environmental Protection Program
- Executive Vice President for Research
- Executive Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs
- Center for Laboratory Animal Medicine and Care representative
- Employee Health Clinical Services representative
Term of Membership
Staggered three-year cycles.
2012 – 2013 Membership Roster
Vice Chair: Dr. John O’Brien, Faculty, Medical School
Terms Expire August 31, 2013
Dr. Rebecca Berdeaux, Faculty, Medical School
Dr. Catherine Denicourt, Faculty, Medical School
Dr. Jeffery Frost, Faculty, Medical School
Dr. Chinnaswamy Jagannath, Faculty, Medical School
Dr. Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner, Faculty, Medical School
Dr. Todd Lasco, Community Representative
Dr. Eric Brown, Faculty, School of Public Health
Dr. Ariadne Letra, Faculty, School of Dentistry
Terms Expire August 31, 2014
Dr. John O’Brien, Faculty, Medical School
Ms. Cindy Boule, Community Representative, City of Houston Health Department
Dr. George Tiller, Student GSBS
Dr. Rodrigo Hasbun, Faculty, Medical School
Dr. Qingyun Liu, Faculty, Medical School
Terms Expire August 31, 2015
Dr. Roger Janz, Faculty, Medical School
Dr. Terry Blasdel, Community Representative
Dr. Mary Dickerson, Faculty, Animal Care
Ex Officio Members
Dr. George Stancel, Executive Vice President for Academic and Research Affairs
Dr. Robert Emery, Vice President for Safety, Health, Environment & Risk Management
Mr. Bruce Brown, Director, Environmental Health & Safety
Ms. Rachel Gamble, Manager, Biological Safety Program
Mr. Alan Lucas, Manager, Environmental Protection Program
Ms. Nancy Zamboras, UT Health Services
Ms. Arlene Staller, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer
Meeting Location
Cyclotron Facility Training Room (CYF B.110)
Meeting Frequency
Monthly. For the date and time of the next scheduled meeting, please contact Environmental Health & Safety at 713-500-8100.
Submitting an application
Institutional Biological Safety Manual (PDF)
Meeting agenda and minutes
The Texas Public Information Act dictates how we must respond to any requests for any information that has been collected, assembled, or maintained by or for The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
To request public information you may send a request by US mail, e-mail, fax, or deliver it in person as follows:
By U.S. Mail:
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Office of Legal Affairs and Institutional Compliance
PO Box 20036
Houston, TX 77225
In Person:
University Center Tower
7000 Fannin Street, Suite 1460
Houston, Texas 77030
By Fax: (713) 500-3275
By E-mail: tpia@uth.tmc.edu
