Biosafety
Overview
The USF Biosafety Program oversees the possession, use and storage of various infectious agents, recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA), biological toxins, and select agents/toxins (commonly known as biohazardous materials) in a research and/or teaching environment.
Training Requirements for Researchers
Training in proper microbiological techniques is required for anyone working with recombinant DNA, infectious agents, select agents, and biological toxins or who works in a laboratory where these materials are used/stored. The assurance of proper training is the responsibility of the Principal Investigator (PI) or laboratory supervisor of the facility in which the hazard is used.
If you are a Principal Investigator (PI) at USF who possess or plans to possess, store, work with, or transport infectious agent(s), biological toxin(s), select agent(s)/toxin(s), and/or recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules, you must register them with USF’s Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC).
| Submission Deadline | Scheduled Meetings | Approved IBC Minutes |
|---|---|---|
| January 12, 2026 | January 20, 2026 | |
| February 9, 2026 | February 17, 2026 | |
| March 9, 2026 | March 17, 2026 | |
| April 13, 2026 | April 21, 2026 | |
| May 11, 2026 | May 19, 2026 | |
| June 8, 2026 | June 16, 2026 | |
| July 13, 2026 | July 21, 2026 | |
| August 10, 2026 | August 18, 2026 | |
| September 7, 2026 | September 15, 2026 | |
| October 12, 2026 | October 20, 2026 | |
| November 9, 2026 | November 17, 2026 | |
| November 30, 2026 | December 8, 2026 |
Submission Deadlines to Research Integrity & Compliance: These are the dates by which the protocol must be submitted in BiosafetyNet to be placed on that month’s meeting agenda.
USF’s Institutional Biosafety Committee provides oversight and evaluation of research and laboratories that use biohazardous materials at USF and affiliated institutions to ensure they comply with USF IBC policy, University policy, CDC guidelines, NIH guidelines, and federal regulations 42 CFR 73, 9 CFR 121, and 7 CFR 331 for select agents.
Please direct questions and comments to the Biosafety Program or Debra Howeth, telephone (813) 974-5091, fax (813) 974-7091.