In support of National Biosafety Stewardship Month, an initiative created by the National Institutes of Health, U-M is asking all laboratories on campus where biological research is performed to conduct an evaluation of their safety practices and procedures in September.

In a letter signed by S. Jack Hu, interim vice president for research; James Ashton-Miller, associate vice president for research — research policy and compliance; Philip C.  Hanna, professor of microbiology and immunology, and chair of the Institutional Biosafety Committee; and Terrence Alexander, executive director of occupational safety and environmental health; each laboratory is being asked to set aside time to:

• Conduct an inventory of infectious agents and toxins in the lab.

• Review biosafety policies and procedures to ensure best practices are consistently implemented.

• Evaluate the training status of each individual performing research in the lab to ensure they are prepared to conduct the work safely.

“The assessment recommended by the NIH is an excellent opportunity for our community to strengthen our ongoing commitment to the integrity of research here at U-M,” said Hu.

The deadline for completing the inventory and review is Oct. 3.