Mission

The Office of Biological Safety facilitates the Committee on Microbiological Safety (COMS). COMS is a standing faculty committee that reviews all research involving recombinant DNA as well as work involving biohazards at Harvard and its 16 affiliated institutions. The Office provides the administrative support for the Committee and the technical review of COMS applications. The Office also supports the biosafety programs at these institutions by providing additional risk assessment as well as establishing policies and procedures.

Contact Information

Rebecca R. Caruso, MPH, RBP, CBSP, SM(NRCM), Associate Director

Robert Griffin, COMS Coordinatorr

phone: (617) 432-4897
email: Robert_Griffin@hms.harvard.edu

Michelle Ann Montplaisir, IACUC/COMS Administrative Coordinator

phone: (617) 432-3192
email: Michelle_Montplaisir@hms.harvard.edu

Emily Zevon, COMS Coordinator

phone: (617) 432-4897
email: Emily_Zevon@hms.harvard.edu

Committee Members

A list of Committee members can be found here.

For Investigators

Investigators must register all studies involving:

Recombinant DNA	Synthetic Nucleic Acids
Viral Pathogens	Bacterial Pathogens
Prions	Biological Toxins
Unfixed Human Blood and Tissues	Unfixed Non-Human Primate Blood and Tissues
Clinical Gene Transfer	Clinical Xenotransplanation

Registration forms are available in the Forms section of this site. All submissions must be through your institutional Biosafety Officer.

For Biosafety Officers

Links to some relevant government documents, internet sites, some material on disinfectants are all on the Resources section of this site.

Bioterrorism Links

ORSP: About | Human | Animal | COMS | ORSP home  

Page last updated September 26, 2011   
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