The purpose of this site is to provide a simplified road map through the procedures required at Virginia Tech for conducting research that utilizes recombinant DNA technology. Such guidance is needed because of a growing array of guidelines and regulations from a number of Federal agencies including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as well as State agencies. These Virginia Tech guidelines are not a substitute for specific federal or state guidelines; rather they are to help you determine whether you are doing recombinant DNA research that is subject to oversight of any type and has to be registered or approved.

The approval process for research involving recombinant DNA at Virginia Tech is being changed from a project registration to a program approval to simplify the process and reduced the amount of duplicate paperwork. These guidelines describe the steps you need to take, both for the completion of forms and review of laboratory practices, in order to be in compliance with the various Federal, State and University regulations.

• Biotechnology Oversight Committee (BOC)

At Virginia Tech, the BOC has assumed the responsibilities of the IBC mandated by the NIH to review and oversee experiments to assure compliance as outlined in the "Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules", which can be downloaded at http://www4.od.nih.gov/oba/rac/guidelines/guidelines.html. In addition, the BOC fulfills the university's responsibility for oversight of biotechnology research involving planned introductions of genetically modified life forms into the environment that are subject to Federal regulations and provides requested information.

The BOC at Virginia Tech is composed of 11 members: 5 faculty representatives (two from Agriculture and Life Sciences, one each from Veterinary Medicine and Arts & Sciences and one member-at-large), 1 technical staff representative, 2 external community members with no individual or family ties to the institution, and 3 ex officio voting members (Director of Center for Biotechnology, Director of Environmental Health & Safety or designee, and Director of the VA Agricultural Experiment Station or designee). Members are nominated by the BOC and appointed by the Vice Provost for Research. Reappointment is permitted. Terms are for 3 years. Approximately one-third of the membership is appointed/reappointed annually.