Faculty planning work with rDNA or synthetic nucleic acid molecules should review the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules. NIH has revised the guidelines to cover explicitly certain types of basic and clinical research with nucleic acid molecules created solely by synthetic means. Certain classes of basic and clinical research with synthetic nucleic acids are now exempt. An extensive list of FAQ and other supporting guidance documents are available, as well as a table of animal experiments covered under the NIH guidelines.
Other helpful guidance documents and resources:
- Georgia Tech Policies & Procedures
- Georgia Tech Environmental Health & Safety
- Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL), Sixth Edition
- Laboratory Safety Monograph, a Supplement to the NIH Guidelines for Recombinant DNA Research
- NIH Office of Science Policy
- NIH Human Embryonic Stem Cell Registry
- S3: Science, Safety, Security