Institutional Biosafety Committee

The Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) is a Standing College Committee and is responsible for reviewing all College research and teaching activities conducted by faculty, staff, students, and/or visiting scientists on Ithaca College property that involve the use of biohazardous materials (regulated animal and plant pathogens, biological toxins, and nucleic acids ).

IBC’s objective shall be to ensure that such activities meet standards of good biological safety practice emphasizing the protection of personnel, the general public, and the environment.

A material transfer agreement (MTA) is a contract that governs the transfer of tangible research materials between two organizations when the recipient intends to use it for his or her own research purposes. The MTA defines the rights of the provider and the rights and obligations of the recipient with respect to the materials and any progeny, derivatives, or modifications.

Before an MTA can be executed, it must first be approved by the Chair of Ithaca College's Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) and possibly other staff (e.g., Environmental Safety Specialist) and then signed by the Director of Sponsored Research. Please allow up to a week for review and approval of an MTA before it is signed. A copy of the fully executed MTA should be retained by the IBC.