Please contact the BioSafety Program Coordinator for all IBC forms.
For Chemical or Biosafety Animal Safety Protocols create a protocol in InfoEd. The forms for this are listed there.
Institutions that receive NIH funding for any research involving recombinant or synthetic nucleic acids must comply with the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules (NIH r/s NA Guidelines). Here at UCH, we commonly abbreviate this title to NIH r/s NA Guidelines. You can read the full document.
The state of Connecticut has pertinent laws as well. Please see the CT Public Health Code 19a-36-A and the Requirements for Institutions with BSL-3 Facilities for more information.
The Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL), published by the CDC’s Office of Safety, Health, and Environment in conjuction with the NIH, is considered the national standard to promote the safety and health of laboratory workers. It covers the basic principles of biosafety, biocontainment, and provides detailed information on working safely with various pathogens, toxins, and other biohazards. Please take the time to review the BMBL and promote a culture of safety in your laboratory.
For those who may be in contact with human blood, body fluids or tissues, Bloodborne Pathogen training is a legal requirement (OSHA). For those interested in the specifics:
What training is required for a researcher (anyone who does research in a non-clinical lab) at UConn Health?
All New Employees
- Attend New Employee Orientation on alternating Fridays. Call Human Resources at 860-679-2426 to answer any questions about the orientation program. This orientation is held remotely and contains several important safety trainings provided by Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) including especially the Initial Bloodborne Pathogen Training and a basic Safety overview (personal protective equipment, lock-out/tag-out, radiation safety, chemical safety, etc.)
- Receive free medical evaluation and consultation about their health relative to their new job at Employee Health Services (EHS) in the main building on the ground floor (near the six bank elevator, CG228). It is best if new employees know some details about their duties to make this opportunity most efficient and effective. For example, if you know you will be working with laboratory animals, you will need to have a pre-animal use and respirator medical clearance through EHS. To make an appointment, call 860-679-2893 and leave your contact information. Someone in EHS will return your call. When you go to your appointment, make sure to bring with you your immunization records and TB Skin Test screening results documentation if they are available.
All Research Laboratory Personnel
- Including PIs, Lab Supervisors, Postdocs, Research Associates and Assistants, Students, Volunteers, Visiting Workers and Trainees, all are required to take Laboratory Safety Training offered by Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S). Contact Liz Pokorski at 860-679-2723 with questions. This training covers an overview of basic lab safety and compliance, chemical safety, waste management, and biosafety.
- PIs are required to take the NIH r/s NA Guidelines (IBC)/DURC/Biosafety training through the CITI training website every three years. Contact the BSO for instructions on how to do this.
Other trainings may be required (or available) depending on the activities researchers are engaged in…
If you or your supervisee(s) work with:
Infectious Biological Agents or Select Agent Biological Toxins
- Annual biosafety training for use of Infectious Biological Agents in research is required as part of the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT DPH) registration that is required for labs that use infectious agents. Some of the refresher computer-based biosafety training is available on this site as PDF files. Refresher training on new topics is required annually. For labs that use viral vectors please contact the BioSafety Program coordinator for training recommendations.
- Training for work with Select Agent Biological Toxins is required by UConn Health for work with listed toxins at amounts below the regulated limits. You must contact the BSO to place an order for any listed biological toxin. You may contact the BSO at 860-679-3781 although email is preferable.
Human Blood, Body Fluids, Tissues, Primary Cells or Cell Lines in Culture
- Initial Bloodborne Pathogen Training is offered at New Employee Orientation (see above). For those who may be in contact with human blood, body fluids or tissues, annual refresher training is a legal requirement (OSHA). This may be accomplished by taking the on-line Annual OSHA Bloodborne Disease Refresher Training on the EH&S website (see training) or through SABA. View the OSHA interpretation of how human cells in culture are included in the Bloodborne Pathogen Law, if you work with any human cells in culture. There are also medical surveillance requirements under the Bloodborne Pathogen Law, having to do with Hepatitis B Virus immunizations. Individuals must contact the Employee Health Service (x2893) to find out if their bloodborne pathogen medical surveillance documentation is in order.
Non-human Primate (NHP) Blood, Body Fluids, Tissues, Primary Cells or Cell Lines in Culture
- Work with NHP materials should be performed using the same precautions as work with human materials. Training for use of Standard (Universal) Precautions and/or BSL-2 procedures with human materials will parallel what needs to be trained for NHP materials.
Chemical Hazards
- General Chemical Safety Training is offered upon request. The intended target audience is individuals who may be exposed to chemicals in a foreseeable emergency, but who do not actively work with chemicals on a daily basis. This training is not required for anyone who has taken the Laboratory Safety Training.
Lasers (Safety for Class III or Class IV Lasers)
- Research and Non-Hospital Clinical Laser Use, contact Jim Fomenko at 860-679-2250 or fomenko@uchc.edu for training.
Radioactive Materials or Ionizing Radiation (e.g., X-ray Producing Instruments)
- Radiation Safety training is required for work with anything that produces ionizing radiation. For questions, contact the Radiation Safety Officer, Jim Fomenko at 860-679-2250, fomenko@uchc.edu.
Respirators
- Respirator Training is given with the fit testing procedure, the second of two requirements for obtaining the proper respirator. The first requirement is passing a medical evaluation. This is done by filling out a respirator medical evaluation form, available through either Employee Health Services or EH&S. If it has been determined by a healthcare provider that you are physically fit to wear a respirator, a medical approval form will be sent to EH&S and/or given to you. After receiving the medical approval form, EH&S, 860-679-2723, will perform the fit test and training.
Shipping or Receiving Any Hazardous Material (Such as Infectious Substances or Diagnostic Specimens)
- Department of Transportation (DOT) and International Air Transport Association (IATA) trainings for proper shipping of hazardous materials are required. Contact Jim Fomenko at 860-679-2250 or fomenko@uchc.edu.
Animal Subjects (Institutional Animal Care and Use Commitee)
Human Subjects (Institutional Review Boards)
- All personnel involved in the conduct or administration of human subject research are required to complete training in the protection of human subjects before such involvement occurs. Please contact the Human Subjects Protection Office for details.
The fine print – remember: as changes occur in activities and duties in the lab, research personnel may need updated, periodic or new safety/compliance training that covers new or sometimes ongoing work. Legally, PIs are ultimately responsible for training and safety of lab personnel. There should be duty-specific training (presented by the PI or experienced lab staff) that includes safety/compliance information addressing the personnel, the PI and the institution. It is a good idea for PIs to document staff training on lab procedures including safety instruction. Having staff sign that they have read and will follow IBC and IACUC safety protocols that are kept available to staff in the lab is required. Institutionally required trainings are in addition to lab specific training, and the PI is responsible for seeing that their staff attends. When is the last time your lab discussed safety or compliance?
The role of the UConn/UConn Health Stem Cell Research Oversight (SCRO) Committee is to ensure that human embryonic stem cell (hESC) and human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) research is well-justified and that inappropriate and/or unethical research is not conducted. Its mandate is to provide oversight of ethical issues related to the derivation and research use of human pluripotent stem cell lines at all schools, colleges, campuses, and research arms of the University of Connecticut/UConn Health per University policy, regardless of the source of funding. From a legal perspective, the review and approval of human embryonic stem cell research by a SCRO committee or its equivalent is required by the State of Connecticut. At a deeper level, SCRO committees exist to protect both the public interest and the progress of biomedical stem cell research. The ethical mandate of the SCRO Committee is to ensure that appropriate respect is given to the value of human life.
SCRO approval is required prior to any of the following:
- All research involving human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) (SCRO approval is required by the State of Connecticut and University policy.)
- In vitro human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) research involving the generation of gametes, embryos, or other totipotent cells (SCRO approval is required by University policy.)
- In vivo research involving introduction of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) directly into prenatal animals or into the central nervous system of post-natal animals or elsewhere in the animal where cells could potentially enter the central nervous system (SCRO approval is required by University policy.)
- Stem cell research project funded by the State of Connecticut through the Connecticut Bioscience Innovation Fund, including those that do not use human embryonic stem cells (SCRO approval is required by the State of Connecticut.)
Export control laws are federal regulations that govern how certain information, technologies, and commodities can be transmitted overseas or to a foreign national on U.S. soil. The scope of the regulations is broad: they cover exports in virtually all fields of science, engineering, and technology and apply to research activities regardless of the source of funding. Failure to comply with these laws can have serious consequences, both for the institution and for the individual researcher. Potential penalties include fines and possibly imprisonment. It is thus critical for UConn researchers to understand their obligations under these regulations and to work with Research Integrity and Compliance Services to ensure that the University is in compliance.
The International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) regulate defense articles, services, and related technical data that are identified on the Munitions Control List. They are administered by the Department of State. The Export Administration Regulations regulate the export of dual use items, i.e. items with both military and commercial applications, identified on the Commerce Control List. They are administered by the Department of Commerce. The Office of Foreign Assets Control Regulations (OFAC Regulations) regulate economic trade with foreign countries and administer the statutory economic trade sanctions imposed against several foreign countries. They are administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, through the Office of Foreign Assets Control.
The Export Control Materials are hosted on the UConn Storrs OVPR website.
If you have any questions about Export Control, please email exportcontrol@uconn.edu.
System Access
Tips
A few tips on using the UConn Health InfoEd financial interests system:
- You will receive an e-mail invitation to complete a disclosure in InfoEd once the disclosure season opens. The sender is fcoi@uchc.edu – Office of the VP for Res, FCOI.
- Instructions on how to log-in (and a link to the system) are included in the e-mail invitation.
- Use your UConn NetID username (e.g., abc12345) and password credentials to login, do no use your UConn Health user credentials. For NetID assistance, visit https://netid.uconn.edu/ for assistance looking up and resetting your UConn NetID password.
- You will receive an email acknowledgement after submitting your disclosure.
Contacts for questions and assistance:
- Investigators and IO/COs with questions regarding the form or the disclosure requirements may email fcoi@uchc.edu. You may also contact an FCOI program Research Compliance Monitor directly.
- Individuals who are ONLY Clinical Practitioners may email the Clinical Conflict of Interest Committee at CCoI@uchc.edu for questions related to the policy on Individual Financial Conflicts of Interest in Clinical Health Care.
- If you experience technical issues while completing your disclosure in InfoEd, please contact the eRA Help Desk at era-support@uconn.edu or 860.486.7944 (Mon-Fri, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM).
Additional information about the roles at UConn Health required to submit a financial disclosure in the system
Individuals in any of the following roles at UConn Health are subject to the Individual, Clinical, and/or Institutional conflict of interest policies, which require these individuals to complete a financial disclosure questionnaire. Roles include:
- Investigator (i.e., involved in research activity at UConn Health);
- Institutional Official or Covered Official (IO/CO, as identified by the Office of the Vice President for Research) with authority or responsibility for research programs, research administration or research funding, or a position of authority (direct or indirect) over the conduct of research; or
- Clinical Practitioner (i.e., responsible for the planning, support or delivery of clinical health care or clinical educational activities at UConn Health).
If you receive an email from us, you have been identified in one of the above roles and are thus required to submit a financial disclosure in the UConn Health InfoEd Financial Conflicts of Interest (FCOI) system at https://uchealth.infoed.uconn.edu.
If you believe you do NOT meet any of the roles above, you will have an opportunity to report this on the Welcome page of the financial disclosure form once you login and you will NOT be required to enter any financial information.
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Michael Centola, MHS, CIP |
Associate Vice President-Research Integrity & Compliance |
860.679.6568 |
centola@uchc.edu |
Gus Fernandez-Wolff, DVM, CHRC |
Research Compliance Monitor |
860.679.8125 |
gfernandez@uchc.edu |
Kristen Tremblay, MPH, CCRP |
Research Compliance Monitor |
860.679.3276 |
ktremblay@uchc.edu |
Caroline N. Dealy, PhD. |
Chair, Financial Conflict of Interest in Research Committees |
860.679.1193 |
dealy@uchc.edu |
For Public Accessibility requests for information regarding FCOIs related to Public Health Service-funded research, please complete the Public Accessibility Request form.
If you need a financial disclosure form for an external (non-UConn Health) subrecipient that does not have a Financial Conflict of Interest policy, please contact the Research Compliance Monitor.