Institutional Biological Safety Committees (IBSCs) are groups of people from organisations (usually universities or Crown Research Institutes) that have been delegated by our decision-making committee to make decisions on applications to import or develop low risk genetically modified organisms in indoor approved containment facilities.
If you belong to an organisation that has an IBSC, you can submit your application directly to them.
The organisations that currently have IBSCs are the University of Auckland, Massey University, Lincoln University and the University of Otago.
The members of an IBSC must have the expertise required to assess the applications brought before them. Membership must comprise of:
A chairperson
A Biological Safety Officer (BSO) who is not the chairperson
A layperson not associated with the institution that is able to consider community interests
Scientists with relevant expertise such as a microbiologist and a molecular biologist
A mandated Māori representative(s) (unless exemption applies)