RBL Safety and Security

Tufts New England Regional Biosafety Laboratory (RBL) and the Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health operate within a rigorous biosafety and security infrastructure managed by Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) and Public Safety offices of Tufts University. The facilities are designed to be secure and provide maximum safety for laboratory researchers and the community from accidental exposure to any infectious or toxic agents. The RBL provides needed biocontainment space to researchers and promotes the advancement of knowledge in the disciplines of biodefense and public health. For more information, visit Tufts Environmental Health and Safety.

Research conducted at the RBL is regulated by the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). The IBC is charged with the responsibility for review, approval and surveillance of all research protocols at Tufts University involving the use of biohazardous materials including recombinant DNA, agents infectious to humans, animals or plants, and other genetically altered organisms and agents. IACUC is a self-regulating entity that, according to U.S. federal law, must be established by institutions that use animals for research or instructional purposes to oversee and evaluate all aspects of the institution’s animal care and use program. The animal care and use program at Tufts University is independently accredited by AAALAC International. For more information visit the IBC and IACUC websites.