Recombinant DNA Monitoring

In December 2000, the Federal Government passed the Gene Technology Act 2000 (the Act) and the legislation came into force in June 2001.  This included the establishment of the Gene Technology Regulations 2001 (the Regulations) and a centralised national Gene Technology Regulator (the Regulator) to undertake assessment of all genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and GM products.

The object of the Act is to protect the health and safety of people, and to protect the environment by identifying risks posed by or as a result of gene technology, and by managing those risks through regulating certain dealings with GMOs.  Both the Act and the Regulations have since been amended and the most recent amendments commenced in September 2011.

The Act stipulates that dealings with GMOs may only be undertaken by an Accredited Organisation with (or access to) a properly constituted and maintained Institutional Biosafety Committee.  By regulatory requirement, you need approval from the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) and, in specific circumstances, the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) to undertake Recombinant DNA research.  At the ANU, the IBC is the University Recombinant DNA Monitoring Committee.

No dealing with a GMO may commence without written approval from the ANU Recombinant DNA Monitoring Committee. Dealings with GMOs may only be undertaken in Physical Containment facilities approved by the IBC and certified by the OGTR.

Unintentional Releases:

Unintentional releases should be reported to the OGTR via the Secretary of the IBC and Liaison Officers should make sure this requirement is widely known in their local area.  Local procedures for reporting unintentional releases (which include reporting to the Secretary of the IBC) should be included in facility manuals.

• Accreditation
• Institutional Bio-Safety Committee
• IBC Liaison Officers
• Dealings with Genetically Modified Organisms
• Applications for Approval of Dealings with GMOs
  • Application Forms
  • Information for Completion of Application Forms
• Certification of Physical Containment (PC) Facilities
  • Certification Inspections Checklists
• Annual Inspections of Certified Physical Containment (PC) Facilities
  • Annual Inspections of Certified Physical Containment Facilities
• Compulsory Training
  • Biological Safety
  • Gene Technology Practices
• Frequently Asked Questions
• rDNA Newsletter
  • July 2011
  • August 2010
• rDNA Contacts