The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has revised the NIH Guidelines to specify biosafety practices for research involving gene drive modified organisms (GDMOs) in contained research settings.

These revisions include:

  • Specifying the minimum containment requirement for research involving GDMOs; 
  • Articulating considerations for risk assessment and additional responsibilities for institutional biosafety committees (IBCs) and biosafety officers 

NIH previously published a request for information in August 2023 seeking public input on proposed revisions. The proposed revisions were informed by recommendations contained in the Novel and Exceptional Technology and Research Advisory Committee report, Gene Drives in Biomedical Research.

View the revised version of the NIH Guidelines

To assist institutional biosafety committees, biosafety professionals, and investigators with implementation of these changes, the NIH Office of Science Policy has developed a reference document to help ensure the safe and responsible conduct of research involving GDMOs in contained research settings.

If you have questions regarding the updates to the guidelines and/or questions regarding any impacts the updates may have on your research or instructional activities and active IBC protocols, please contact the IBC program office (ibc@vt.edu).