Appendix G: Research Oversight Committees
The Research Oversight Committees monitor the ethics and safety procedures of particular types of research for the college. These types of research include animal use and care, research with human subjects, and research involving potentially hazardous biological materials. The Research Oversight Committees interface with external regulatory and funding agencies who require special compliance procedures and as such these committees should update their purposes, responsibilities, and compositions to maintain compliance in a timely manner. Such updates, once approved by a faculty vote, will become effective.
Animal Research Committee
Composition
The ARC shall be comprised of five members with diverse backgrounds, each appointed by the Provost. These shall include:
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
- Faculty Member in Research
- Faculty and Non-Scientist
- No Centenary Affiliation
- Department of Biology, Chair
Institutional Biosafety Committee
Purposes and Responsibilities
The purpose of the Institutional Biosafety Guidelines and the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) is to ensure protection of faculty, staff, and students who generate, process and dispose of potentially hazardous biological materials at Centenary College of Louisiana as well as others who may become exposed to biological hazards within the institutional environment. In addition, Centenary must comply with guidelines and regulations established by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) regarding research involving recombinant and synthetic nucleic acid molecules and those established by the U. S. Government regarding life sciences research with high-consequence pathogens and toxins (dual use research of concern, or DURC).
The NIH’s Office of Biotechnology Activities (OBA) develops public policies in three areas: Biomedical Technology Assessment (human gene transfer and human stem cells), Biosafety (recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules), and Biosecurity (DURC). Research involving human gene transfer, human stem cells, and DURC toxins and organisms are expressly prohibited at Centenary College of Louisiana. As such, Centenary’s responsibilities relating to biosafety are establishing and maintaining a compliant Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), ensuring adequate expertise and training, filing an annual report with the Office of Biotechnology Activities (OBA), and establishing procedures that the IBC follows for reviewing and approving applications and complying with federal regulations.
Composition
The IBC shall be comprised of five members that meet NIH requirements, each appointed by the Provost. These shall include:
- Chair and Contact Person
- Two Non-Affiliated members who represent the interests of the surrounding community with respect to health and protection of the environment
- A Biological Safety Officer (can be the Chair)
- One individual with expertise in plant, plant pathogen, or plant pest containment principles
- One scientist with expertise in animal containment principles
Institutional Review Board
Composition
The IRB shall be comprised of five members with diverse backgrounds, each appointed by the Provost. These shall include:
Three faculty members.
- At least one member not affiliated with a scientific discipline.
- At least one member unaffiliated with Centenary College.
- Representation of persons whose primary concern is the protection of "vulnerable" subjects, such as children or institutionalized persons.
Proceedings
The IRB shall normally meet with a majority of members present, and a majority vote shall be required for decisions. Exclusions from this rule are only permissible under expedited procedures and exemptions for low risk research, as specifically allowed under HHS Guidelines. Members with conflicts of interest in a particular research project shall be excluded from all decisions related to that research.