Date: July 31, 2025
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 9:00 a.m.
Approval of Previous Minutes
Minutes from June 26, 2025, were approved as written.
Protocols Reviewed
Title: “Host Cellular Immune Responses to Japanese Encephalitis Virus”
NIH Guidelines Sections III-D-2a, III-D-4b, III-F-8, Appendices B-II-D, C-I, and C-II.
Meeting Comments: This project aims to develop a subunit vaccine against Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), monitor immune responses and identify protective antigens. The project does not meet DURC/P3CO criteria, and appropriate biosafety procedures and mitigation plans are in place.
- Update the potential risk of exposure section, as the current wording is confusing. Additionally, please address the biorisk of the recombinant adenoviruses.
- Clarify if the treatment with Ribivarin is intended for animals, since it has been shown to be ineffective against JEV in humans.
- Clarify if the respirator is needed for both ABSL-2 and ABSL-3Ag.
- Clarify that shower-out is required only when exiting the ABSL-3Ag.
- Please address whether adenovirus is expected to be shed.
- If carcasses may be transported to another facility within campus, describe containment measures (e.g., sealed, leak-proof containers) and how the transport vehicle will be decontaminated after use.
- Update to reflect that animals will be disposed of via the tissue digestor.
- Remove “lab coats” and “rubber boots” from the PPE list.
- Include the following: Within the BSC, dirty caging will be double bagged in biohazard bags and surface decontaminated with Peroxigard. Cages will then be autoclaved, emptied in the cage wash room, and cleaned following standard cage wash procedures.
- Revise to state that potentially infectious cell or tissue culture flasks containing waste media must be disinfected prior to disposal in biohazard bags.
- Change the answer to “yes” and specify that N95 respirators are required for work in BSL-3 labs.
Title: “Characterization of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in vitro and development of diagnostic tests and vaccine candidates”
NIH Guidelines Sections III-D-2a; III-E-1, III-F-8, Appendix C-II.
Meeting Comments: This major modification aims to add the testing of various clinical samples (including archived samples) for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 to the protocol. The work with new samples is planned to be conducted in a BSL-2 laboratory. The project does not meet DURC/P3CO criteria, and appropriate biosafety procedures and mitigation plans are in place.
- Check the box for human blood, tissues and body fluids.
- Update as needed to reflect the current status of the shipment and permit. Additionally, review the strain “Delta B 16167-2” to confirm whether it should be “Delta B 1617-2.”
- Update the section “Biocontainment levels of proposed work” to accurately reflect what is stated in the protocol.
- Clarify what specific manipulations are planned to be conducted in the BSL-2 and BSL-3 laboratories. If the response describes work occurring in both, please include a sentence explicitly stating that activities will take place in both laboratory settings.
- Update the BMBL from 5th to 6th edition.
- During transport of samples within the laboratory, state that all primary containers must be placed within durable, leak-proof secondary containers with secure, tight-fitting lids. Secondary containers must be surface decontaminated before being removed from the biosafety cabinet. If any work is anticipated with the Delta strain, all personnel in the BSL-2 lab must wear a respirator during the work.
- Correct in the last sentence — “BSS” to “BSC”.
-The wording is confusing, saying that an N95will be worn in BSL-3, but also saying a PAPR will be worn in both BSL-3 labs. Please clarify what is planned.
Title: “African Swine Fever Vaccine and Diagnostic Development (BSL2 work)”
NIH Guidelines Sections III-D-4; III-E, III-F-8, Appendices B-II-D, C-I, and C-II.
Meeting Comments: The study aims to develop vaccines and diagnostic tools for ASF. Recombinant ASFV proteins will be produced by encoding structural proteins of the virus into expression vectors. The project does not meet DURC/P3CO criteria, and appropriate biosafety procedures and mitigation plans are in place.
- Revise the last sentence of item three and add that work involving wild-type ASFV will be covered under a separate IBC protocol and is not included in the scope of this protocol.
- Add E. coli to the list.
- Update the response if IACUC approval has already been obtained – applies to all Animal Appendices.
- Clarify whether the PPE and waste will be autoclaved prior to disposal.
- If carcasses may be transported to another facility within campus, please describe containment measures (e.g., sealed, leak-proof containers) and explain how the transport vehicle will be decontaminated after use.
- Check both lab coats and disposable gowns.
Title: “Development of Recombinant Vesicular Stomatitis Virus-Vectored Vaccines”
NIH Guidelines Sections III-D-1, III-D-3, III-D-4, III-F-8, Appendix C-I.
Meeting Comments: The study aims to evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of rVSV vaccine candidates. The project does not meet DURC/P3CO criteria, and appropriate biosafety procedures and mitigation plans are in place.
- Update to reflect that the recombinant VSV strains will be provided by RML. Additionally, if additional recombinant VSV or wild type VSV is obtained from outside of the State of Kansas in the future, a will USDA permit will be required.
Title: “Evaluation of Classical Swine Fever (CSF) Vaccines and diagnostic assays development”
NIH Guidelines Sections III-D-4b, III-F-8, Appendices C-I and C-II.
Meeting Comments: The study aims to aims to develop vaccines and diagnostic assays for Classical swine fever (CSF) virus. The project does not meet DURC/P3CO criteria, and appropriate biosafety procedures and mitigation plans are in place.
- Specify which agents/materials are already in possession.
- Please correct to ABSL-3Ag.
- To fully answer this question, provide details about the planned decontamination methods, including if the cultures are going to be decontaminated before being placed in the biohazard trash for autoclaving, BSC cleaning before and after work.
- Revise the waste disposal description to clarify that only after autoclaving is confirmed, the biohazard bags will be placed in black trash bags for disposal.
Other Business: none.
Adjourn: The meeting was adjourned at 10:25a.m.