Additional Information for Research Involving Viruses or Vectors
Genetic manipulations that have the potential to increase pathogenicity may raise the recommended BSL, and may also require review by the Novel and Exceptional Technology and Research Advisory Committee (NexTRAC). Below are the Acceptable Standards for the University of Pittsburgh as recommended by the IBC:
| TYPE OF VIRUS OR VECTOR | RECOMMENDED BSL | STRAIN EXAMPLE |
|---|---|---|
| Murine Retrovirus, ecotropic | 1 or 1+ | MMLV, MSCV |
| Murine Retrovirus, amphotropic or VSV-G pseudotyped | 1+, 2 or 2+ | MMLV, MSCV |
| Non-primate Lentiviruses | 2 or 2+ | FIV, BIV, EIAV |
| Primate Lentiviruses | 1, 2, or 2+ | HIV, SIV, SHIV |
| Adenoviruses | 2 or 2+ | Adv, all types |
| Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) | 1, 2, or 2+ | AAV |
| Gene editing technologies | 1, 2, or 2+ | CRISPR/Cas9, TALEN, ZFN |
| Zika Virus Information | 2 | ZIKV |
*Note: Some HIV-1 based lentiviral vector systems may be safely used under lower containment (BSL-2 or ABSL-1)
For additional information contact the Institutional Biosafety Division at ibo@pitt.edu.
Page updated 12 April 2021; several broken links fixed