• Use this form for requesting biosafety approval for research or teaching involving the use of biological hazards eg recombinant DNA, pathogens, GMOs  Application form Faculty Biosafety Committee 

• Protocol amendment form - use this form when making changes to study related procedures
• Staff amendment form - use this form when making amendments to study staff/personnel eg removing or adding a student to an approved project.

• Use this form to submit annual progress reports to the FBC Annual Progress Report

• Policy on Review of Research Protocols Submitted to the IBC
• UCT IBC Standard Operating Procedure
• UCT IBC Terms of Reference

• Genetically Modified Organisms Act 15 of 1997
• Genetically Modified Organisms Amendment Act (No 23 of 2006)
• National Environmental Management Act (NEMA, Act 107 of 1998)
• SAMRC Guidelines for Ethics in Medical Research: Use of Biohazards & Radiation

• NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules
• CDC Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories
• ASM Guidelines for Biosafety in Teaching Laboratories
• WHO Laboratory Biosafety Manual [December 2020]
• Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

The submission dates for 2026 are as follows: Download 2026 submission dates.

Protocols should be submitted as early as possible BEFORE the submission date. 

Please only use the latest forms available here. Older versions of the forms will not be accepted.

It is UCT’s institutional policy that all research involving genetically modified organisms (GMOs), recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules and potentially hazardous biological agents (pHBAs) must be approved by the F/IBC.

No. All research involving recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules or pHBAs must be approved by the F/IBC before work can be initiated. Note that F/IBC approval cannot be given retrospectively.

No. If your work involves potential biological hazards e.g. recombinant DNA, GMOs or infectious pathogens, you can only commence your research after FBC approval, in addition to other required approvals such as HREC (for human research) or AEC (for animal research).

Please refer to the Application forms and templates section of this webpage for all latest FBC application forms.

No. All IBC applications must be submitted to the FBC; where required, applications will be escalated to the IBC for final review and approval (see Table 2 in IBC Policy Document for guidance)

Yes. If your research involves GMOs, or recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules and pHBAs, it will require FBC approval. Please do not commence any work without FBC approval as this constitutes noncompliance/research misconduct which can lead to disciplinary measures.

No – FBC can only give prospective review before any work commences. Therefore, please use a project start date that will accommodate the F/IBC review timeline.

Yes, having FBC approval does not exempt you from other required regulatory approvals. It is recommended that you submit your FBC application prior to, or concurrent with your DAFF Section 20 permit applications, if your research protocol involves animals, respectively. Please refer to their webpage for the required paperwork.

Yes – any amendment to an approved protocol requires approval by the FBC. Please submit your changes via the latest amendment application form found on this page.