The University of Wisconsin–Madison will meet the requirements stated in the United States Government (USG) Policy for Institutional Oversight of Life Sciences Dual Use Research of Concern for the composition and role of its Institutional Review Entity (IRE). The Dual-Use Research of Concern (DURC) Subcommittee will serve as the IRE and consist of five Institutional Biosafety committee (IBC) members or appointed consultants, who have been fully trained to serve on/for the IBC and have signed the confidentiality agreement. The Subcommittee must have the expertise to evaluate the science and will be comprised of members who have expertise in virology, bacteriology, and infectious disease. In addition, the Subcommittee must have individuals with expertise to assess dual use potential for a range of life sciences research, who are well versed in relevant USG policies, who have the understanding of risk assessment and risk management including biosafety and biosecurity and are familiar with institutional policies, commitments, and standard operating procedures. If the members do not have the necessary expertise, an IBC member with the appropriate expertise may be added or asked to act as a consultant.
The DURC Subcommittee will consist of the following individuals:
Three standing members: These will be scientific experts, responsible for reviewing DURC materials (e.g. grants, research proposals, and manuscripts), writing the DURC report, and presenting the report to the IBC. These members will have expertise in virology, bacteriology, public health, and/or infectious diseases.
Two ex officio members: The Institutional Contact for Dual Use Research (ICDUR) will be an ex officio member and Chair of the DURC Subcommittee. This individual will be responsible for communicating the need for DURC review, coordinating and providing materials for subcommittee meetings, assisting with compiling the DURC report, and communicating with UW–Madison’s Biosecurity Taskforce and the funding agencies. She/he also will be responsible for communication to Responsible Official and university administration as needed. The Chair of the IBC will also be an ex officio member of the DURC Subcommitee. This individual will assist with knowledge of DURC regulations and provide scientific expertise. She/he also will be responsible for communication to Office of Biosafety and others as needed.
08-27-2015