Biosecurity Challenges for the IBC: An Exploration of the Roles and Responsibilities of Institutional Biosafety Committees in the Age of Terrorism and Biosecurity, Now and for the Future

Biosecurity is a term encompassing a broad range of activities - policy, practices and regulatory frameworks - that work together to manage biological risk. This chapter begins with an overview of current biosecurity issues relevant to Institutional Biosafety Committees (IBCs), including dual use research of concern, Select Agent programs (United States and other), and recombinant DNA technology. Very few programs have official biosecurity committees, suggesting that the IBCs will most likely bear unofficial responsibility for implementation of good biosecurity practices. To meet this challenge, IBCs, along with federal agencies, institutions and personnel, must develop a "biosecurity culture" without imposing undue burden on the research enterprise. We propose possible solutions, such as modification of the IBC charter, funding agency involvement and creative methods of awareness training.