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Biological Safety

The Biological Safety Program enforces regulations to ensure safe operation of biological research laboratories in the City of Boston.

The following biological research laboratories operating, or proposing to operate, in Boston must get an annual operating permit from the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC):

  • Labs operating at biosafety level 3 and above: BSL-3/ABSL-3, BSL-4/ABSL-4
  • Labs working with recombinant DNA (rDNA) materials at biosafety level 2 (BSL-2/ABSL-2) and above.

The Biological Safety Program administers this permitting. It also leads the Boston Biosafety Committee oversight advisory group and coordinates internal and external multidisciplinary teams. This program ensures safe operations in Boston’s biological research laboratories. Use the resources on this page to better understand the permitting process.

 

NOTICE OF BOSTON BIOSAFETY COMMITTEE (BBC) MEETING

On Sunday, January 26, 2024, the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) will hold a meeting of the Boston Biosafety Committee (BBC), an advisory group appointed by the BPHC Executive Director under the BPHC Biological Laboratory Regulations.  

The meeting will be held virtually via Zoom:

Members of the public can submit written comments or questions before or after the meeting to BPHC via email (biosafety@bphc.org).

During the meeting, comments or questions can be posted using the Zoom chat function.

For more information, please contact the BPHC Biosafety Team (biosafety@bphc.org or phone at 617-534-5965) or go to the BPHC’s Biological Safety Program website at Biological Safety | Boston.gov

 

Boston Biosafety Committee

Boston Biosafety Committee

The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) is seeking members of the community who are interested in serving as Community Members on the Boston Biosafety Committee (BBC).  

What is the Boston Biosafety Committee?

BPHC regulates and permits biological research laboratories in the City of Boston. The BBC provides technical assistance and advice to the BPHC’s Executive Director on issues related to the regulation and permitting of biological research laboratories in the City of Boston. 

The Community Members should be Boston residents, preferably from the South End, Fenway, and Chinatown neighborhoods. The BBC members are appointed by the BPHC’s Executive Director. The members should be able to commit to serve on the BBC for at least two years.

What is the role of the Boston Biosafety Committee?

  1. To foster and facilitate a two-way communication between the Boston residents and the operators of biological research laboratories in the City of Boston.
  2. To seek information about issues of public concern and ways to address and communicate those concerns, including the implications of biological research laboratory operations on the public health and safety.

How often does the Committee meet?

The Committee meets quarterly to review research projects and laboratory permit applications, or at other times as requested by the BPHC’s Executive Director.  The time commitment for each BBC member will be about 5 hours per month. There will be documents to review in advance before scheduled meetings. No BBC meetings will be held during some months. 

How do I Join the BBC?

If you are interested in joining the BBC, please fill out the form below under Forms, Checklists, and Guidelines. For more information, please contact Simon Muchohi, Director of Biological Safety at BPHC (617-534-2683 or smuchohi@bphc.org).

Forms, Checklists, and Guidelines

Forms, Checklists, and Guidelines

All biosafety permit applications are submitted and managed online through our secure system. Please contact the Biosafety Program at 617-534-5965 or biosafety@bphc.org for information on the system and to set up an account. Note that other local and state regulations also govern laboratories. Please see below for details of these other requirements.

Request to set an entity workspace

If a reportable laboratory incident occurs, call the BPHC Infectious Disease Bureau IMMEDIATELY at 617-534-5611. Then call the BPHC Environmental Health Office at 617-534-5965 or email biosafety@bphc.org. Reportable laboratory incident reports should be submitted through the online secure permit system. However, the incident report form can be downloaded here. Fill out the form and fax it to BPHC 617-534-5905, if you cannot access the online permit system.

These checklists are based on the CDC/NIH Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL, 6th Edition), NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules, and the BPHC's regulations.

We are recruiting Community Members (volunteers) to serve on the Boston Biosafety Committee. Please fill out this form to become a member.

Training, Presentations, and Resources

Training, Presentations, and Resources
Biological Safety Cabinet: How it works to protect you
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