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Biohazard Ethics

The Office of the Vice-President (Research, Innovation and International)’s Office of Research Ethics ensures that research conducted at Carleton University (or by people connected to Carleton) involving biohazardous materials is approved before any research project begins.

Biohazardous materials are considered any organism, or its toxic metabolites, believed to be potentially harmful to humans, animals, or plants. Any research conducted at Carleton involving biohazardous materials must be reviewed and approved by the Biohazards Committee.

The Biohazards Committee oversees research projects through a professionally qualified and independent panel and promotes a culture of biosafety and biosecurity awareness, all while supporting research and teaching activities.

Learn more from the Office of Risk Management about BioSafety.

Follow the Review Process

1. Submit an Application

Note:  cuResearch does not have an automatic save feature. You are encouraged to click on the SAVE button after completing each tab. At any point, you can SAVE the application and continue later. The application will be saved under Applications (Saved-Not Submitted) on your home page of the Researcher Portal.

You can also view screenshots of the below process.

  1. Log into the cuResearch Researcher Portal with your MyCarletonOne credentials.
  2. To access the application forms available in the cuResearch Researcher Portal, click on APPLY NEW. You will be brought to a screen which lists all active online applications, similar to the screen that follows. They may be active applications for the Animal Care Committee or the Biohazards Committee. Click on the application name for the certification you want to apply for – Biohazards Application.
  3. On the Project Info tab, enter the title of your project in the Project Title text box, and the Start Date and End Date. You are not required to add key words.
  4. If your application is funded, click on the Search key located under Related Awards. You will be brought to a screen, similar to the one that follows, and all awards associated with the PI’s name should appear. If your award is not listed, please advise the Biohazards Committee Coordinator.
  5. Proceed to the Project Team Info tabIf you are a student or lab manager completing this application, you will need to change the PI’s name and add your name as a Project Team Member, along with other team members. Once you have completed the application, you must advise the PI that the application can be submitted. Only the PI can submit an application.
  6. Project Team Info tab: You can search and select PI and Other Project Members (see the following screens) that have already been entered into a master records list, if you would like to add some that is not listed, contact the Biohazards Committee Coordinator, via email and provide the following information:
  7. First and last names
    1. Banner ID/Employee number
    2. Carleton email
    3. Rank or position (i.e., staff, student, professor etc)
    4. Faculty and Department
  8. Biohazards Application: Complete all tabs under this heading
  9. If you are including attachments, click on the Attachment tab to add additional documents.

During the application process, you can Save, Print, Close, Export to Word or Export to PDF, but an application can only be submitted when the Errors tab disappears.

If you are a student or lab manager completing this application, you must save the application and advise the PI that the application can be submitted. If you are the PI, when your application is free of errors, you can click on Submit, as on the following screen.

2. Training

For mandatory training on handling biohazardous material, register for BioSafety Training.

3. Protocol Changes, Renewals, or Closures
  1. On the cuResearch homepage, current Ethics (Animal, Biohazards, Human) applications and current Awards are displayed.
  2. Sort by “Type” and locate current application and select “Events”.
  3. Select the Event form “Renewal, Extension and Closure” for the appropriate Board/Committee.
  4. Complete Event form, attach documents, if necessary, and then click “Submit”.

You can also view screenshots of this process.

Contact Us

Nora Large

  • Research Compliance Coordinator, Animal Ethics and Biohazards
  • Email Nora