Training

Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) Training Requirements

All DePaul faculty, staff, or students engaged in research or teaching activities at DePaul involving recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules, biohazardous agents, or select agents or toxins will be required to complete the training requirements.

Training Sources

The NIH Guidelines require that the institution provides training for IBC members and investigators to ensure the safe implementation of the Guidelines for working with recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules. The DePaul IBC has extended oversight responsibilities beyond those outlined in the Guidelines. Therefore, additional regulatory requirements for training or education related to the use, shipping, transport, or receiving of biohazardous agents, as defined in DePaul policy and procedures, have been adopted by the IBC. DePaul requires that all faculty, staff, and students working with biohazardous agents at DePaul complete Biosafety training in order to ensure that individuals are knowledgeable regarding the risks related to the agents, recommended safety practices, and agent-specific containment procedures. The biosafety training requirements also extend to Office of Research Services staff with IBC responsibilities and IBC members.

Faculty, staff, or students working with recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules, biohazardous agents, and select agents or toxins MUST complete the required training before receiving or working with these agents. IBC members and staff must complete the required training before they will be allowed to vote on a protocol.

DePaul University has adopted the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) online training program to provide the required education to individuals working with recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules, biohazardous agents, and select agents or toxins. Individuals will be required to complete the number of modules assigned to their learner group/role in the research. The number of modules that an individual is required to complete for basic initial training is defined by their learner group.

The learner groups in CITI for IBC/Biosafety/Biosecurity training are:

• Faculty/Lab Coordinators/Research Personnel (including Grad Students)
• Undergraduate Students
• IBC Members/Staff
• Shipping/Transporting Training - only required if you will ship or transport materials

The Learner Group and the course title listed on the individual person’s course list will be the same. It is possible that an individual may complete the required training for one learner group, and if they change learner groups during their time at DePaul, they would be required to update their learner group and take any additional modules required for the new learner group. For example, if a person who took training as an undergraduate student now becomes a graduate student, that person would now need to complete training at the graduate student level, which involves taking more modules.

Verification of Required Training

The Principal Investigator (PI) is responsible for listing all personnel that will be involved in the conduct of the research or teaching activity on the protocol application (or via the Application for an Amendment Changing Personnel (not the PI) for an IBC Approved Protocol after the original protocol application was approved). When the PI signs the assurance page of the IBC application s/he is certifying that each person listed has already completed the required training and that her/his research records contain copies of the training documentation. The Principal Investigator (PI) is ultimately responsible for ensuring all research personnel listed on their protocol have completed the required basic initial training and shipping/transporting training, when applicable.

CITI training records can be accessed directly by ORS, so sending a copy to ORS with the research application is not necessary. However, in order for ORS personnel to match training to individuals, the name used in the CITI program should be the same as the name on the IBC protocol form.

Records documenting training will be confirmed by the Office of Research Services before a research protocol is approved or before an IBC member can actively vote on research protocols. The Office of Research Services will maintain the training records for all individuals involved in research and teaching activities which involve the use of biohazardous materials.​