Review Harvard’s Environmental Health and Safety’s save biological work practices information.

Determine if your project requires registration with Harvard’s Committee on Microbiological Safety (COMS). Note it is necessary to register all projects involving recombinant DNA, synthetic nucleic acids, viral pathogens, bacterial pathogens, prions, biological toxins, human blood and tissues, non-human primate blood and tissues, clinical gene transfers, or clinical xenotransplantations.

More specific information regarding experiments that require COMS registration can be found here.

Review Harvard’s Biosafety Manual.

Complete Biosafety and Bloodbourne Pathogen training now available online at through EH&S Training Management System.

Complete appropriate COMS registration form and return to Sid Paula (spaula@mcb.harvard.edu, 5-2345).

Review and complete Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Control Plan. A template is available here.

Renew Bloodborne Pathogen Training annually by taking online refresher course through the EH&S Training Management System.

Direct any questions or concerns to Sid Paula (spaula@mcb.harvard.edu; 5-2345).

Note that Research Involving Biohazardous Materials may require additional approval beyond that given by COMS. If your research will include human subjects, vertebrate animal subjects, radioactive materials, controlled substances, etc. please reference the Office of the Vice Provost’s for Research Policy & Compliance website for additional information.