The Institutional Biosafety Program

Mount Sinai School of Medicine Institutional Biosafety Program monitors all laboratory activities involving biohazards, infectious or biologically-derived infectious materials, and toxins that present a risk or potential risk to the environment. Specifically biohazards can injure the health of humans or animals, either directly through individual infection or to large populations in nature when released from a controlled situation.

The Biosafety Officer is responsible for ensuring that all National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines regulating biohazard use are implemented and complied with at the institutional level.

The Biosafety Officer’s special duties include the design and improvement of disposal procedures for biological, chemical, and radiological waste and the safe handling and disposal of regulated medical waste and laboratory-generated sharps items in accordance with OSHA and U.S. EPA regulations.

The Biosafety Officer prepares, submits, and maintains records, reports, and documents that are required by government agencies and regulations.

Activities and services provided by the Biosafety Officer:

• Evaluates each research project for risks and hazards associated with the manipulation of an infectious agent or molecules derived from these activities
• Assigns a biosafety level to the project and/or to the laboratory(ies)
• Conducts compliance audits and issues approvals to granting agencies requesting documentation of compliance / approval
• Provides information and training to the School of Medicine community for all aspects of Biosafety
• Serves on the IACUC and the Institutional Biosafety Committee
• Serves as a liaison with governmental agencies when required