Date: April 30, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Location: Zoom
Quorum: Met
Call to Order: The Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) Chair called the meeting to order at 9:01 a.m.
Approval of Previous Minutes
Minutes from March 26, 2026, were approved as written.
Protocols Reviewed
Title: “Development of Live-vectored African Swine Fever Virus Subunit Vaccine Candidates” NIH Guidelines: Section III-D-3, Appendix B-II-D
Meeting Comments: The research group intends to continue developing two recombinant viral vaccine candidates expressing ASFV antigens and tests them in vivo. It evaluates their safety, immune response, and ability to provide protection using different prime-boost vaccination strategies. The project does not meet DURC/P3CO criteria, and appropriate biosafety procedures and mitigation plans are in place.
o The Committee voted unanimously to approve the motion.
- Please check whether the box for Human Blood, Tissue, or Bodily Fluids should remain selected, as the protocol does not currently mention the use of any of these materials.
- Please add an objective for the plans to refine the subunit vaccine and include it as a header in section 40.10.30.
- Regarding the statement “Nasal/rectal swabs will be collected and tested to confirm that the recombinant RC-Ad5-ASFV/BPI3Vc-ASFV or RC-Ad5-GFP/BPI3Vc-GFP are not shed from the immunized animals,” please clarify the method(s) that will be used for testing (e.g., PCR, cell culture, IFA, etc.). Additionally, please include a statement confirming that if a modification is submitted to include ASFV mutants in vivo experiments, it will list the specific genes to be targeted (currently not yet identified) and will be submitted prior to initiating this work.
- Please check RG1 for the ASFV nucleic acid as it is non-zoonotic.
- Please change the answer to “no,” since the work with lentivirus has been removed from the protocol.
Title: “Defining clinically relevant viral epitopes with cow antibodies (Live SARS-CoV-2 virus will not be used in this study)”
NIH Guidelines: Sections III-D-2a, III-F-8, Appendices C-I and C-II
Meeting Comments: The research group aims to continue generating and characterizing novel neutralizing antibodies against a range of high-value infectious disease and therapeutic targets. It uses bovine immunization and antibody repertoire analysis to identify and map antibodies from multiple antigens, including viral, parasitic, and immune-related proteins. The project does not meet DURC/P3CO criteria, and appropriate biosafety procedures and mitigation plans are in place.
o The Committee voted unanimously to approve the motion.
- Please check whether the box for Human Blood, Tissue, or Bodily Fluids should remain selected, as the protocol does not currently mention the use of any of these materials.
- Please change the answer to “yes”
- Since the study involves human cells, please include the plan for offering the Hepatitis B vaccine.
Other Business:
- Waste disposal at LARC: During an animal experiment, three waste bags were disposed of before confirmation of animal shedding by LARC personnel. The PI was notified and shedding results were provided shortly after, confirming that the animals were not shedding. The waste was confirmed to have been handled appropriately. This was not considered a non-compliance, the staff were retrained and no further action was taken.
- BRI incident: The water was shut off at the BRI, and despite multiple notifications a researcher chose to access his lab and did not follow the required shower-out procedure before exiting. He was wearing appropriate PPE (PAPR, double gloves, and Tyvek) and did not access any biological agents while in his lab. His access to containment was temporarily removed, and initial retraining was conducted. He was given partial access after this (can access spaces with escort) pending full retraining. All required reports were completed, and no further investigation is required.
Adjourn: The meeting was adjourned at 9:59 a.m.