IBC Policies & Guidelines

The University of Michigan's Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) adheres to federal policies and guidelines governing biological and biomedical research involving potentially hazardous biologics and follows recommendations of the NIH Office of Science Policy (OSP).

Federal Policies

New Federal Policy Issued Regarding Dangerous Gain-of-Function (DGOF) Research

On July 20, 2026, the Federal Government issued the United States Government (USG) Policy for Stopping High-Risk Life Sciences Research pursuant to Section 4 of Executive Order 14292.

This policy replaces the 2024 United States Government Policy for Oversight of Dual Use Research of Concern and Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential, also known as the DURC-PEPP policy, and it replaces earlier versions of USG policies and recommendations on life sciences dual use research of concern and potential pandemic pathogens (i.e., policies and guidance issued in 2012, 2014, 2017).

The new policy states that federal funding agencies will provide implementation guidance within 120 days of this policy issuance (i.e., November 2026), and institutions receiving any federal life sciences funding must begin implementation within 180 days of this policy issuance (i.e., January 2027).

U-M Principal Investigators proposing life sciences research for federal and non-federal funding should continue to complete the IBC questions on the Proposal Approval Form (PAF). The responses to the PAF questions will, if warranted, automatically prompt a self-assessment form about whether there are any DGOF features in the research project. IBC Staff receive the self-assessment responses and can advise on next steps if any are needed.

Further information on University of Michigan implementation measures related to the new policy will be available soon. Please email [email protected] with any questions.

NIH Guidelines

NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant and Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules

Biosafety Considerations for Research with Lentiviral Vectors

CDC Guidelines

Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (6th Edition) (PDF)

University of Michigan Guidelines

U-M  Biosafety Manual from U-M Environment, Health, & Safety (EHS), Google document

SPG 605.01, U-M Safety, Health, and Environmental Policy