An institutional biosafety committee performs a biosafety risk assessment of research involving engineered genetic material, such as recombinant DNA or synthetic nucleic acid molecules (r/sNA). The committee’s review includes an evaluation of: Risks associated with genetic modifications and experimental procedures Occupational and environmental safety The committee must be comprised of at least 5 members who collectively have the expertise to assess risks associated with the proposed recombinant DNA research. At least 2 members must be local community members not affiliated with the institution/site. Each IBC is registered with the NIH Office of Science Policy. IBC registrations are updated annually. For more information, read our IBC 101 handout.