UNE Institutional Biosafety Committee
- biohazardous materials
- genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
- infectious organisms
- materials requiring quarantine containment.
The committee's primary roles include assessing the biosafety risks of proposed research, approving certain low-risk projects, and providing expert advice to researchers. The IBC also inspects physical containment (PC) facilities on campus and provides training and access for these facilities, as required by staff and research students.
Members of the UNE IBC
Current members of the IBC are listed in the table below.
| Member | Position on the IBC |
|---|---|
| Associate Professor Nicholas Andronicos | Chair, PC2 Inspector, Biosafety Officer (on leave from these positions from June 23 2025 to January 31 2026). |
| Dr Daniel Ebert | Acting Chair (June 23 2025 to January 31 2026) |
| Mr Roland Helfer | Work Health and Safety Representative, Safety Advisor, Hazardous Substances |
| Mr Matthew Schapel | Estate and Built Environment Representative |
| Dr Amy Burns | Scientific and technical expert |
| Dr Sarbast Qassim | Scientific and technical expert |
| Dr Alip Kumar | Scientific and technical expert |
| Helen Bristow | Independent layperson |
| Liz Hardie | Independent layperson |
| Bonnie Mayes | Committee Officer (non-voting) |
2025 IBC Meeting Dates
Scheduled IBC meetings for 2025 are listed in the table below. Applications to conduct work with GMOs or other biohazardous materials will be assessed during these meetings. Submissions must be sent to ibc@une.edu by midday on the specific closing date, and late submissions will result in the assessment being postponed to the next meeting date. At the discretion of the IBC Chair, one additional extraordinary meeting per year may be convened to evaluate an application.
| IBC Submission Closing Date | IBC Meeting Date |
|---|---|
| Midday February 6 | February 27 |
| Midday July 31 | August 21 |
| Midday October 30 | November 20 |
To contact the UNE IBC for guidance on working with GMO’s, infectious organisms or other biohazardous mateials, email ibc@une.edu.au. For more information about how to identify projects which require IBC approval, and to access the relevant forms, see the information on Determining a Dealing in Relation to GMO's.
