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Work with microorganisms, recombinant/synthetic nucleic acids, human and animal materials, insect and animal vectors, and other potentially biohazardous materials is necessary in many university research and teaching applications and requires special practices and procedures, and in some cases, special equipment to protect personnel and the environment.

Texas Tech University is actively committed to preserving the health and safety of its students, staff, and faculty and to protecting the environment and surrounding community. The Department of Environmental Health & Safety provides guidance regarding the assessment, containment, and security of biological materials that complement the institutional operating policies which support compliance with the guidelines, recommendations, and regulations applicable to such work.

Biosafety News & Updates

Recent changes to Biosafety Policy at TTU

At the November 2024 meeting of the IBC, the following changes to the biosafety manual were approved:

B5.0.1

Containment must be achievable and maintained, and required handwashing and emergency equipment must be operable in research and teaching settings. Sanitizer may replace handwashing in field settings.

B5.0.1.2

Compromises to structure, utilities (power, light, water, HVAC, etc.), or other facility/room engineering controls/components can impact containment integrity and worker safety, and subsequently affect the space’s designation (i.e., active laboratory, containment level(s), etc.) or scope of work that is allowed.

B5.0.2

Research and teaching materials and equipment must not be stored, used, or handled in public areas. See A9.6.6.1, A9.6.6.2, and B11.1 for the requirements concerning equipment decontamination prior to removal from a laboratory.

Cayuse Resources

In January 2023, the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) launched the Cayuse Hazard Safety application for IBC protocol management. The IBC Office has developed a Researcher Toolbox and a Cayuse FAQ page to assist you in completing your IBC protocol in Cayuse.