BIOSAFETY BITES (2006)
ABOUT BIOSAFETY BITES
The Sunshine Project is in the midst of its second survey of US institutional biosafety committees (IBCs). These committees, maintained at labs conducting federally funded biotechnology research, are established to protect people and the environment from risks of biotechnology experiments. Now, following a 2003 study by the National Academies and the establishment of the National Science Advisory Board on Biosecurity (NSABB), IBCs are assuming a new "biosecurity" role responsible for review of risky dual-use research with biological weapons agents.
In the course of researching IBCs, the Sunshine Project has encountered grave problems with the system. These include physical issues at high containment laboratories, risky experiments approved with dubious safety precautions and/or inadequate IBC review, dysfunctional and otherwise noncompliant committees, and other types of biosafety problems.
"Biosafety Bites" is a series of short articles that briefly describe cases of problems that primarily relate to laboratory safety. Biosafety Bites will culminate in the publication of the final report of the Sunshine Project's second IBC survey.
Biosafety Bites numbers 1 through 12 were published in 2004 and can be found here. The 2006 Biosafety Bites are designated as volume 2 (v.2) and begin with #13.
Biosafety Bites #13 (1 June 2006)
Complaint Filed Against "Sham" University of South Carolina Institutional Biosafety CommitteeBiosafety Bites #14 (6 June 2006)
Cowboy BSL-4 in Texas Thumbs its Nose at the NIH Guidelines and the NIH Office of Biotechnology ActivitiesBiosafety Bites #15 (15 August 2006)
Al-Qaeda Plot Suspected on University of North Carolina BiolabBiosafety Bites #16 (25 August 2006)
Dukes of Hazards: The University of Georgia's Rebel Yell Against BiosafetyBiosafety Bites #17 (20 September 2006)
FBI Wants Biodefense Work Secret says Newark, New Jersey LabBiosafety Bites #18 (17 October 2006)
AlphaVax IBC: It's Been Years Since We MetBiosafety Bites #19 (v.2) - 1 December 2006
IBC EnFARCEment: OBA "Investigates" the Venter InstituteBiosafety Bites #20 (v.2) - 11 December 2006
IBC EnFARCEment II: OBA Tackles the Salk InstituteBiosafety Bites #21 (v.2) - 10 January 2007
The Bird Flu Lab Accident that Officially Didn't Happen in Austin, Texas