DUAL USE RESEARCH OF CONCERN (DURC)
Dual Use Research of Concern (DURC) is defined by the federal government as biological research that could be misapplied to pose a significant threat to public health and safety or national security. Accordingly, Mass General Brigham has established a DURC Policy and Standard Operating Procedures to identify, assess, manage, communicate results, and report DURC conducted with high-consequence pathogens and toxins. These Policies and Procedures apply to all biological research under the leadership of MGB Principal Investigators (PIs), regardless of funding source and independent of the physical location of the research.
DURC REQUIREMENTS
To comply with federal requirements and Mass General Brigham Policy, any research identified as being DURC may not begin until it receives federal approval. Federal approval will be obtained through the Mass General Brigham Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) acting as the Dual Use Review Committee (DRC).
PIs are required to annually update their DURC registrations for review and approval by the DRC to continue their research. In addition, prior to initiating any changes in DURC activities, the PI must amend the DURC registration and secure the approval of the DRC and appropriate federal sponsor.
TYPES OF RESEARCH
Uses at least one of the non-attenuated agents or toxins listed below, regardless of quantities:
- Avian Influenza Virus (highly pathogenic)
- Bacillus anthracis
- Botulinum neurotoxin (there are no exempt quantities of botulinum neurotoxin)
- Burkholderia mallei
- Burkholderia pseudomallei
- Ebola Virus
- Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus
- Francisella tularensis
- Marburg Virus
- Reconstructed 1918 Influenza Virus
- Rinderpest Virus
- Toxin-producing strains of Clostridium botulinum
- Variola Major Virus
- Various Minor Virus
- Yersinia pestis
Produces, aims to produce, or is reasonably anticipated to produce one of more of the following effects:
- Enhancement of the harmful consequences of the agent or toxin
- Disruption of immunity or the effectiveness of an immunization against the agent or toxin without clinical and/or agricultural justification
- Conferment to the agent or toxin resistance to clinically and/or agriculturally useful prophylactic or therapeutic interventions against that agent or toxin or facilitates their ability to evade detection methodologies
- Increase of the stability, transmissibility, or the ability to disseminate the agent or toxin
- Alteration of the host range or tropism of the agent or toxin
- Enhancement of the susceptibility of a host population to the agent or toxin
- Generation of or reconstitution of an eradicated or extinct agent or toxin listed above