UQ Institutional Biosafety Committee
If you work with biological material or in areas where work with biological material is being undertaken, you need to be aware of and abide by the relevant legislation, standards, procedures and guidelines that apply to you and the work you're performing. Read the Biosafety Policy [2.40.01] for more information.
The UQ Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) consists of:
- the main committee, which meets 3 times a year
- a subcommittee (IBSC), which meets approximately every 6 weeks.
The subcommittee assesses all proposals for dealing with genetically modified material, hazardous biological material or potentially infectious microorganisms.
Both committees are made up of:
- experts from throughout UQ on the many areas of biological research undertaken by UQ staff and students
- biological safety advisors to ensure compliance with legislative and UQ requirements
- an independent member to ensure an unbiased approach.
Subcommittee
Applications for approval
The subcommittee assesses all applications for dealing with genetically modified material, hazardous biological material and potentially infectious microorganisms.
Chief investigators must obtain appropriate approvals from the subcommittee before starting work.
To apply for approvals, follow the procedures for:
You must finalise your application at least 2 weeks before the next IBSC meeting date to guarantee it will be considered at that meeting.
Late submissions may be accepted at the IBSC Chair's discretion if there are extenuating circumstances.
Meeting dates and submission deadlines
| Meeting date | Submission deadline |
|---|---|
| 13 February 2018 | 30 January 2018 |
| 27 March 2018 | 13 March 2018 |
| 8 May 2018 | 24 April 2018 |
| 19 June 2018 | 5 June 2018 |
| 31 July 2018 | 17 July 2018 |
| 11 September 2018 | 28 August 2018 |
| 23 October 2018 | 9 October 2018 |
| 4 December 2018 | 20 November 2018 |
Members
| Name | Speciality | Organisational unit |
|---|---|---|
| Professor Bernard Carroll (Chair) | Plant biology | School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences |
| Dr Ulrike Kappler (Deputy Chair) | Metabolic pathways | School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences |
| Ms Sophie O'Neill (Secretary) | Biosafety Advisor | Health, Safety and Wellness |
| Dr Amanda Jones | Biosafety Advisor | Health, Safety and Wellness |
| Associate Professor Elizabeth Aitken | Plant pathology | School of Biological Sciences |
| Dr Victor Anggono | Neural biology | Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) |
| Dr Rowland Cobbold | Veterinary public health | School of Veterinary Sciences |
| Associate Professor Bryan Fry | Evolution of venoms | School of Biological Sciences |
| Professor Roy Hall | Structure and function of flavivurses | School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences |
| Professor Mark Schembri | Bacterial pathogens | School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences |
| Ms Susan Stephenson | Independent member | - |
| Dr Milos Tanurdzic | Plant development and genomics | School of Biological Sciences |
| Dr Nick West | Tuberculosis research | School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences |
| Associate Professor Ingrid Winkler | Replication of incompetent viral vectors and blood stem cells | UQ-Mater Research Institute |
| Professor Ernst Wolvetang | Stem cell research | Australian Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) |
Main committee
The UQ Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) is required to ensure compliance with legislation, regulations and standards, including:
- Queensland Work Health and Safety Act 2011
- biosecurity legislation and regulations administered by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
- legislation and regulations administered by the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR), including OGTR guidelines for accreditation of organisations
- AS/NZS 2243.3:2010 Safety in laboratories, part 3: Microbiological safety and containment. Access this standard by searching the SAI Global database (UQ login required)
- Security Sensitive Biological Agents (SSBA) Regulatory Scheme
- Defence and Strategic Goods List (DSGL)
- notifiable plant and animal pests.
The UQ IBC also acts as liaison between UQ researchers and the:
- Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
- Office of the Gene Technology Regulator.
Meeting dates
- Thursday 4 April 2018
- Thursday 26 April 2018
- Wednesday 7 November 2018
Members
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Professor Alastair McEwan (Chair) | Dean, Graduate School |
| Mr Jim Carmichael (Deputy Chair) | Director, Health, Safety and Wellness Division |
| Dr Amanda Jones (Secretary) | Biosafety Advisor, Health, Safety and Wellness representative |
| Ms Sophie O'Neill (observer) | Biosafety Advisor |
| Mr Kerrin Henderson (observer) | Biosafety Advisor |
| Dr Anthony Arklay | University Health Services |
| Dr Helle Bielefeldt-Ohmann | Infectious disease and immunology, School of Veterinary Science |
| Professor Jimmy Botella | Plant biotechnology, School Biological Sciences |
| Professor Bernard Carroll (Chair, IBC Subcommittee) | Plant biology, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences |
| Mr Kevin Wathen-Dunn | UQ-Biological Resources |
| Dr Amanda Dines | Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital |
| Mr Stewart Hobbs | Manager Engineering Services, Property and Facilities |
| Dr Wayne Jorgensen | Chair, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries IBC |
| Ms Susan Stephensen | Independent member |
| Ms Nicole Shively | Research Management Office |
| Mr Michael Uren | Consultant veterinarian, Animal Welfare Unit; member Animal Ethics Committee |
| Mr Barry Yeo | Senior Mechanical Engineer, Property and Facilities |
Gatton Biosecurity Advisory Committee
The Gatton Biosecurity Advisory Committee specifically considers biosafety and biosecurity issues for the Gatton campus.
Gatton staff must still apply to the UQ Institutional Biosafety Subcommittee for approvals to work with genetically modified material and potentially hazardous biological material.