IBC Minutes - December 2nd, 2025
8:30 AM-10:30 AM by Zoom


Glynis Kolling (Chair), called the meeting to order. Members in attendance were Jennifer Kershner (BSO), Aaron Mills (IBC member), Brett Moreau (IBC member), Paul Skoglund (IBC member/IBC contact), Matthew Crawford (IBC member), Ira Schulman (IBC member), Raphael Malbrue (Animal Containment Expert), Marie Burdick (IBC member), Sam Driver (local non-affiliated member), Tom Leonard (EHS Director), and Stacy Agar (local non-affiliated member). The 12 members present exceeded the quorum threshold of seven. Dave Clark, the Associate Biosafety Officer, attended the meeting to observe the proceedings. Dr. Kolling reminded everybody that anyone who might have a conflict of interest participating in review of a particular protocol should be placed in a breakout room during the discussion of that protocol unless requested to stay and answer questions.

  1. The minutes from the meeting of November 5th, 2025, were approved with no dissent.
  2. The following IARs have no changes from last year or exhibit a minor modification such as stating that they are not using AAV at BSL-1, making room changes, moving inventory to storage only, changing sourcing of materials, small changes to text, or similar changes. All these protocols were approved at either BSL-2 or BSL-3 (when indicated) with no dissent but pending successful laboratory inspection, training, or clerical modifications in indicated cases:
    1. BAYLISS, DOUGLAS (087-99) was reviewed by Kershner and Agar. He studies ion channel modulation in brain slices and cell culture, using various virus expression systems, HDM, biotoxins, and recombinant DNA (III-D-1). There are training issues to address before approval.
    2. COWARDIN, CARRIE (8081-20) was reviewed by Agar and Kolling. She studies the role of the gut microbiome on pediatric development using various BSL-2 agents and HDM.
    3. FARBER, CHARLES (640-08) was reviewed by Mills and Burdick. He identifies disease genes using genetic mapping, viral expression strategies, HDM, and recombinant DNA (III-D-1). There are training issues to address before approval.
    4. GAUTAM, JITENDRA (4729-16) was reviewed by Leonard and Malbrue. He runs a Core Facility in Nephrology that operates as a biorepository of patient HDM samples that are associated with some type of clinical description, using HDM.
    5. GOLDFARB, ADAM (104-00) was reviewed by Schulman and Mills. He studies differentiation of hematopoietic cells, using viral expression strategies, biotoxins, HDM, and recombinant DNA (III-D-1).
    6. HOUPT, ERIC (327-05; BSL3) was reviewed by Malbrue and Moreau. He develops diagnostics for infectious agents and enteric organisms from human stool, blood or other HDM, and recombinant DNA (III-D-1) using various infectious agents.
    7. KHANAPUR, SHIVASHANKAR (11168-23) was reviewed by Malbrue and Burdick. He uses various purchased stocks of BSL-2 bacterial and fungal agents as positive controls for growth in media when testing human therapeutics for possible contamination with these agents.
    8. LEVENTAL, KANDICE (8138-20) was reviewed by Moreau and Mills. She studies plasma membrane dynamics during cellular stress events using HDM.
    9. LI, LI (6861-19) was reviewed by Kershner and Kolling. He studies environmental and epigenetic factors in colon cancer using HDM. There are rooms to inspect before approval.
    10. MARTIN, TIMOTHY (11369-24) was reviewed by Schulman and Leonard. He studies the genetics of tumor cell biology using various viral expression strategies, HDM, and recombinant DNA (III-D-1).
    11. PANZER, MATTHEW (8555-21) was reviewed by Mills and Kershner. He operates the Center for Applied Biomechanics using HDM. There are training issues to address before approval.
    12. SHIM, YUN (232-05) was reviewed by Agar and Malbrue. He studies the role of lipid metabolites in lung cancer and emphysema using various BSL-2 agents and HDM.
    13. ZONG, HUI (2474-13) was reviewed by Crawford and Agar. He studies cancer using mice models, cell culture, viral expression systems and recombinant DNA (III-D-1).
  3. The following IARs have few changes from last year but were discussed in committee:
    1. AGAISSE, HERVE (3923-15) was reviewed by Burdick and Crawford. He studies the genetics of pathogenic infection using cell lines, multiple pathogenic organisms, and recombinant DNA (III-D-1, III-D-2). In Narrative question #2 he needs to remove his description of R. conorii risks in relation to BSL3 work, and to expand his Vaccinia vaccination discussion. In Narrative question #4 he needs to add a sentence concerning sharps disposal, and to correct the statement “Solid surfaces in tissue culture hoods will be sprayed with 10% Cavicide followed by 70% ethanol spray after at least 3 minutes of exposure to Cavicide” to either mention “Cavicide”, or to “10% bleach”.
    2. CANG, JIANHUA (5439-17) was reviewed by Kolling and Kershner. He studies how neurons in the brain respond to visual stimuli in tree shrews, using viral expression strategies including AAV at BSL-1, avian -receptor dependent rabies viral vectors at BSL-2, and recombinant DNA (III-D-1, III-E-1). He needs to populate the new AAV at BSL1 text boxes from the original text box information regarding both AAV and CAV. He also needs to change his answer to Narrative question # 10D to yes to cover the pseudotyped avian rabies virus he uses.
    3. COTTLER, PATRICK (3466-14) was reviewed by Crawford and Burdick. He studies wound healing mechanisms in various wounding models using BSL-2 agents and HDM. He needs to update the status of the Cottler lab move and to revise the last paragraph of the
      Research Goals section as appropriate. He also needs to clarify his use of cranial bone samples since IRB approval for these experiments has lapsed.
    4. HOFFMAN, CASANDRA (9457-22) was reviewed by Moreau and Leonard. She studies children’s growth and immunity status in low-resource areas using various BSL-2 infectious agents as well as viral vectors, HDM, NHPDM, and recombinant DNA (III-D-1). She needs to either change her answer to Narrative Question #9 to no, or else describe any non-viral vectors used in the lab.
    5. SONTHEIMER, HARALD (8763-21) was reviewed by Kolling and Schulman. He studies the role of glia in the brain with respect to aging and disease, using various BSL-2 viral expression strategies, HDM, biotoxins, and recombinant DNA (III-D-1, III-E-1). He needs to remove or update an outdated hyperlink to the IBC AAV policy in two locations. He also needs to clarify whether Duy Phan should be listed as personnel, because Duy Phan is mentioned in the answer to the IRB approval question. There are training issues to address before approval.
  4. Discussion and review of modified protocols that are not annual renewals- Reviewers can review just the modification or notice other changes as well. Other changes can either be made during that revision cycle or addressed at the subsequent annual review at the reviewee’s discretion. (Note that this type of review leads to approval with no change in annual renewal date.):
    1. BRANDEBURA, ASHLEY (12617-15; MOD) was reviewed by Schulman and Moreau. She works on the mechanisms of synapse formation, using AAV at BSL1, cell lines, and recombinant DNA (III-D-1, III-E-1). She is adding lentivirus to her protocol. She needs to include lentivirus in the Hazards/Risks (recombinant DNA) question. She also needs to change her answer to Narrative question # 10D to yes to cover the new lentivirus agent. There are rooms to inspect before approval.
  5. Discussion and review of annual renewal protocols that contain modifications:
    1. GULER, ALI (2460-13) was reviewed by Kolling and Crawford. He studies the role of discrete cell populations in the CNS in adaptive behavior, using viral expression strategies, HDM, biotoxins, and recombinant DNA (III-D-1, III-E-1). He is adding information into the new AAV at BSL1 text boxes. He needs to provide a sentence explaining the placement of TTX in storage only status in Narrative question #1. He also needs to clarify/rectify whether all his work with AAV done at BSL1/ABSL1, or if some AAV work is done at BSL2. Currently, he states that all work is done at BSL1 in the BSL1 section of the protocol but also states some work with AAV is done at BSL2 in Narrative question #16). He also needs to delete Canine Adenovirus type 2 (CAV-2) as a BSL2 agent in the BSL2 section. There are training issues to address before approval.
    2. PEREZ-REYES, EDWARD (39-05) was reviewed by Kershner and Mills. He studies epilepsy using AAV at BSL-1, as well as lentivirus, HDM, and recombinant DNA (III-D-1, III-E-1). He is adding information into the new AAV at BSL1 text boxes. Because AAV is listed as used at both BSL1 and BSL2, he needs to describe how containment is kept separate for these two classes of AAV (rather than answering N/A) in the appropriate question. Also, although they are not packaging AAV directly, they need to answer the BSL1 section text boxes as the Vector Core would process AAV. They also need to remove information from their animal protocol from the AAV descriptions. They also need to adjust Narrative question #16 to reflect AAV use at both BSL1 and BSL2.
  6. Discussion and review of new protocols:
    1. BAO, HUAN (11149-23; NEW; but coming from BSL1) was reviewed by Leonard and Burdick. He studies the signaling roles of transmembrane proteins in cell death, using Pseudomonas aeruginosa, HDM, and inactivated botulinum toxin and diphtheria toxin. He needs to describe how his inactivated biotoxins are acquired, and to provide a clear statement that no active biotoxins or expressible forms of active biotoxins are ever present in the lab.
  7. Mid-Month Review- Designated Member and Administrative review:
    1. FORD, ROSEANNE (792-10) Administrative Review. She modified the rooms listings in her protocol. Her protocol was approved at BSL-2 after the rooms were approved by the Biosafety office.
  8. Discussion and Review of ACUC protocols with IBC Concerns
    1. GUNDA, VENUGOPAL (4601; NEW) was reviewed by Malbrue and Crawford. This is a new protocol titled “Preclinical characterization of nano formulations in cancer mice models. They study T-cell derived malignancies, particularly T-cell lymphomas, using viral expression strategies, HDM, and recombinant DNA (III-D-1). They need to describe their use of blood as a biological agent to be used in animal experiments. In the "Biological Agents" section, "Route, volume...": they need to change the injected cell amount to the range of 1-5e6 to match experiments #5 and 6 in the Main Procedure. Also, for "cells expressing...",they need to indicate what they are expressing. They also need to remove the first sentence in the "Duration of hazardous shedding..." text box.
    2. KAPUR, JAIDEEP (4093; MOD; AAV at ABSL1; ABSL1) was reviewed by Kolling and Agar. He studies epilepsy and seizures using viral expression strategies, biotoxins, and
      recombinant DNA (III-D-1, III-E-1). He made text changes to his AAV at ABSL1 experiments. His protocol was approved at ABSL1 with no dissent.
    3. MA, JIANJIE (4410; MOD) was reviewed by Kershner and Moreau. He studies muscle gene function in vitro and in vivo models using various viral expression strategies, HDM, and recombinant DNA (III-D-1, III-E-1). He is adding AAV injections at ABSL1 to his protocol. He needs to add information regarding the route, volume, and frequency of his AAV injections to the Main Procedure description section for clarification.
    4. PETRI, WILLIAM (4126; MOD) was reviewed by Schulman and Mills. He studies epilepsy and seizures using viral expression strategies, biotoxins, and recombinant DNA (III-D-1). Brett Moreau was placed in a waiting room for the discussion of this protocol. He is adding Diphtheria toxin (DT) injection to his protocol. He states that DT injection will occur at ABSL3. He needs to modify this to ABSL2, or else justify this practice. He also needs to specify the 50% bleach used to inactivate DT is a final concentration, and to mention both the DT disposal method, and the DT reconstitution protocol.
    5. SANTIAGO, ARACELI (3999; 3rd year) be reviewed by Leonard and Burdick. She studies the regulation of araC/Xyls transcriptional regulator family members in pathogenic E. coli strains using BSL-2 agents. There were no changes in the biosafety portion of her protocol. She needs to address how biosafety cabinet (BSC) surfaces will be decontaminated after oral administration of E. coli. The committee wondered if 1% Minncare also applied to BSC surfaces or not, and how this is affected by the transition to now using Peroxiguard in the vivarium. Also, given the low dose needed for possible oral transmission of E coli, please address how hand hygiene practices are employed to prevent inadvertent transmission to staff.
  9. IBC and Biosafety issues:
    1. Paul Skoglund, IBC Coordinator, presented the proposed IBC/IRE meeting dates for 2026. Of note, the November meeting date moved to Thursday, November 5th because of the UVA Voting Day holiday on Tuesday, November 3rd. All other meeting dates follow the normal first Tuesday of the month schedule format. The proposed meeting dates were approved with no dissent.
    2. Jenni Kershner, Biosafety Officer, mentioned that the CDC Select Agent Program 3-year renewal inspection originally scheduled for November 12 and 13th has been rescheduled for the week of February 15th, 2026.
    3. We continued reviewing the IBC Biosafety Infraction Policy with the idea of determining whether the IBC needs to maintain an IBC Biosafety Infraction Policy going forward. We also examined the IBC Charge, because it also contains some language related to Biosafety Infractions. A discussion focused on whether the e-manual signature page might be updated at a future date with relevant biosafety infraction language, because this page is signed annually, occurred. A vote of the committee was taken, and the Biosafety Infraction Policy was sun-setted with immediate effect with no dissent.
  10. IRE Business:
    1. None at present.
  11. Renewals over 30 days old:
    1. None at present.
  12. Renewals over 60 days old:
    1. None at present.
  13. ACUC protocols for IBC over 30 days old:
    1. None at present.
  14. Renewals over 60 days old:
    1. None at present.
  15. ACUC protocols for IBC over 60 days old:
    1. None at present.
  16. New PIs who are in the process of doing their visits and training:
    1. CRESCENZI, RACHELLE (12779-25; NEW) was reviewed by Leonard and Malbrue. She develops imaging tools to diagnosis of lipedema, risk assessment for lymphedema and fibrosis, and radiologic markers of salt-sensitive blood pressure using HDM. She needs to clarify that the red step-on containers are provided by the hospital, that Environmental Health and Safety provide the sharps containers, and describe decontamination / disposal of liquid biohazardous waste In Narrative question #4. The text of her protocol is approvable, but issues surrounding the installation of an eyewash have prevented the lab inspection from occurring.