Institutional Biosafety Committee(IBSC) - Assam University

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2. Scope
These guidelines describe the constitution, composition, role and functions of IBSCs. The guidelines
provide information for compliance requirements by IBSCs and processes to be followed while
dealing with genetically modified organisms (GMOs)/living modified organisms (LMOs) and rDNA
materials in line with Rules, 1989 and guidelines issued by DBT from time to time.
3. Terminology
• Biosafety Officer: The Biosafety Officer is the designated officer appointed in case rDNA research
involves biosafety level 3 or 4 containment facilities or large scale rDNA research.
• Containment (adopted from rDNA safety guidelines, 1990): The term “containment” is used to
describe safe methods for managing infectious agents and/or regulated GMOs/LMOs/rDNA
material in the laboratory environment where they are being handled or maintained
• DBT: Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India
• Genetic Engineering (as in Rules, 1989): The technique by which heritable material, which does
not usually occur or will not occur naturally in the organism or cell concerned, generated outside
the organism or the cell is inserted into said cell or organism. It shall also mean the formation of
new combinations of genetic material by incorporation of a cell into a host cell, where they occur
naturally (self cloning) as well as modification of an organism or in a cell by deletion and removal of
parts of the heritable material.
• GEAC: Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee
• Head: The Head refers to the Head of an organisation involved in rDNA activities, e.g. Vice
Chancellor of a university or other educational institute, Chief Executive Officer (CEO)/Managing
Director usually of a body corporate, Director General/Director/Head of an Agency, Research
Institution, Department, Division, Industrial Research and Development Unit or its equivalent
• IBSC: The Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBSC) is a statutory committee of an organisation
undertaking rDNA activities, constituted as per provisions of Rules,1989 and chaired by the Head of
the organisation or his designate (a suitable senior officer).
• Incident: This means unintended release, breach of containment, spill or occupational exposure to
GMOs/LMOs/rDNA materials.
• Principal Investigator: The Principal Investigator (PI) is involved in conducting modern
biotechnology research in an organisation. The PI is accountable to the IBSC and must comply with
the appropriate research guidelines and all applicable laws and guidelines related to biosafety.