The purpose of managing our activities involving biological agents (or materials that may contain them) is to prevent or minimise risks to human health and the environment and to set appropriate standards for control of those risks.
The University's policy and procedures are based on the requirements of national legislation and extensive guidance produced by various expert technical advisory committees issued in support of the Regulations. The management of biological agents at the University is detailed in the University Management Procedure (PDF , 1,252kb) The information in this management document is reproduced for these web pages in more easily accessible subject headings as listed below:
Biological agents include any microorganism, cell culture, or human endoparasite that may cause infection, allergy, toxicity or otherwise cause a hazard to human health or the environment.
Biological agents (including genetically modified organisms) may be encountered in laboratories where: