Institutional Biosafety Committee

Charge

The Institutional Biosatety Committee (IBC) reports to the Vice President for Research and Innovation on matters related to biological safety and security (see TTU OP 74.05). The IBC is a faculty-led committee focuses on both human health protection and biorisk reduction in TTU facilities and provides direction for the following:

Policies and procedures relating to potentially pathogenic microorganisms and implementation of biological safety programs for Texas Tech University.
Ensuring Texas Tech University's compliance with NIH guidelines and assess the safety of recombinant DNA research experiments and any potential risk to public health or the environment.
Compliance with the US Government Policy for Oversight of Dual Use Reserach of Concern (DURC) and Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential (PePP), and serve as the Institutional Review Entity (IRE) for this work.
Review all research and teaching activities involving:
- Recombinant and/or synthetic nucleic acid (rNA/sNA) activities;
- Materials or agents potentially infectious to humans, plants, and/or animals – including the storage or concentration of any potentially biohazardous materials;
- Except for general surveillance, arthropods that serve as vectors of disease to humans, plants, or other animals, and arthropods that are considered an environmental hazard;
- Use of soil seed, plants, plant pathogens (e.g., bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites) or other material received under a USDA APHIS compliance agreement or permit;
- Use of potentially infectious human and/or non-human primate materials;
- Use of cell lines that pose a danger to humans, animals, and/or plants, and/or those immortalized by means that render them dangerous to humans, animals, and/or plants;
- The use of biologically derived toxins;
- Work involving prions or prion-like proteins;
- Any Select Agent or Toxin as listed in 7 CFR 331, 9 CFR 121, and/or 42 CFR 73;
- Category 1 and 2 Dual Use Research of Concern and Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential as per the United States Government Policy for Oversight.
- Necropsy of animals not under the care of the University Veterinarian, necropsy that involves hands-on student involvement, animals with unknown health status, and/or involves animals reasonably suspected or known to be infectious;
- Other work as deemed necessary for review by the Biological Safety Officer; and/or
- work with other potentially biohazardous materials conducted at, or sponsored by the University for compliance with the guidelines in the CDC/NIH Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL) and approve those research projects that meet or exceed the requirements in the BMBL.
To produce and update the University Biosafety Manual and oversee its implementation in the research and teaching initiatives of Texas Tech University.
To review and recommend to Environmental Health & Safety the need for general and specific training programs for research, studio, and teaching activities dealing with biohazards or materials of a potentially biohazardous nature and recombinant DNA, and to review the appropriateness and effectiveness of such training programs.

The Department of Environmental Health & Safety helps coordinate the committee and develop and implement the biological safety programs of the IBC.

Committee Composition

Chair

Designated by the Vice President of Research on recommendation from the Assistant Vice President of Environmental Health & Safety.

Membership

As required by the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules (Sec IV-B-2), the IBC shall be comprised of no fewer than 5 members so that they collectively have the experience and expertise in recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecule technology, the capability to assess the safety of this and other research per their charge, and to identify any potential risk to public health or the environment.

At least 2 members must not be affiliated with the institution and who represent the interest of the surrounding community with respect to health and protection of the environment.

Texas Tech University OP 74.05 further describes the content of the IBC to include the following:

A member of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee;
At least two citizens of the Lubbock community;
At least three faculty members from TTU with expertise in biohazards;
One member from laboratory technical staff;
The Assistant Vice President for Research (Environmental Health and Safety) and/or a designated representative; and
The University Biological Safety Officer.

The term of membership for full members are staggered three-year cycles with the exception of Ex Officio Membership.

2025-2026 Membership

Chair

Steve Presley, PhD – Professor, Environmental Toxicology; Director, Institute of Environmental and Human Health & Biological Threat Research Laboratory

Associate Chair

Cynthia Reinoso Webb, PhD M(ASCP) – TTU Research Scientist, Institute of Environmental and Human Health

Committee Members

Corey Brelsfoard, PhD – Associate Professor, Biological Sciences

Katie Buxkemper, MS – Staff and DSO, Animal & Food Sciences

Isabel Castro-Piedras – Asst Professor of Practice, Center for BioTechnology Genomics

Caitlin Freeman – Unit Manager, ASB Core Laboratories - Research Operations

Lauren Gollahon; PhD – Professor, Biological Sciences

Gary Henniger, MS – Community Member, BASF

Mylea Lovell, MS – TTU Research Associate, Plant and Soil Science

Mr. Brandon Mount – Community Member, Texas Department of Public Safety, Crime Laboratory

Maria Onango, PhD – Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences

Gunvant Patil, PhD – Assistant Professor, Plant and Soil Science

Dr. Caleb Phillips, PhD – Associate Professor, Biological Sciences

Shane Scoggin, MS – Program Manager, Nutritional Sciences

Akhilesh Kumar Shakya, PhD - Asst Professor of Practice, Engineering

Andrew Shin, PhD – Assistant Professor, Nutritional Sciences

Smriti Shringi, BVSc (DVM), MVSc, PhD – Assistant Professor, Veterinary Medicine

Ebenezer Tumban,PhD – Associate Professor, Veterinary Medicine

Hong Zhang, PhD – Professor, Biological Sciences

Ex Officio Members

Tiffanie Brooks, DVM – Attending Veterinarian & Director of Animal Care Services

Sydnee Woodman, MS – Facility Manger, Animal Care Services

Garrett Huddleston, MS – Sr. Safety Officer, Assistant Biosafety Officer, Environmental Health & Safety

Rebecca Maloney MS, CBSP(ABSA) – Unit Manager, Biological Safety Officer, Environmental Health & Safety

Ciu Romo, J.D. – Assistant Vice President for Research - Research Services, Research Operations

Allison Matviko, BA – Director of Export and Security Compliance, Facility Security Officer, Office of Research Services

Matt Roe, MS – Assistant Vice President - Office of the Vice President of Research, Environmental Health & Safety

Alice Young, PhD – Associate Vice President - Office of the Vice President of Research, Responsible Research

Meeting Frequency

The IBC meets monthly, calling special meetings as needed to address urgent matters. All items for committee consideration must be provided no less that 5 business days before the upcoming meeting. Remaining dates for FY 2025 and proposed dates for FY 2026 are below.

September 26, 2025

October 31, 2025

November 19, 2025*

December 17, 2025*

January 30, 2026

February 27, 2026

March 27, 2026

April 24, 2026

May 29, 2026

June 26, 2026*

July 31, 2026*

August 28, 2026