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Macon and Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at 91ÖÆƬ³§ 
Eastern Virginia Medical School
Institutional Biosafety Committee 
Minutes of December 08, 2025, Meeting  

Members Present -

• Elena Galkina, Ph.D., Co-Chair 
• Julius Nyalwidhe, Ph.D., Scientist 
• Bruce Finlay. BSO, Environmental Health & Safety   
• Neelima Chandra, Ph.D., Scientist 
• Kan Wang, Ph.D., Scientist 
• Ming-Lei Guo, Ph.D., Scientist 
• Nancy Welch, M.D. Consultant
• Yan Sanders, M.D., Scientist 
• Elizabeth Goodwyn, Community Representative    
• Jamie S. Heisig-Mitchell M.S., Community Representative 
• Courtney Kerr, Environmental Health & Safety
• Chanda Hill, Director, Research Compliance 
• Heather Singleton, M.S., Ad Hoc, Occupational Health
• RaShae Y. O. Cook, M.S., RLATG, CMAR Animal Expert
• Daniel Sullivan, Ph.D., Ad Hoc, IRB [ABSENT]
• David Mu, PhD. Institutional Rep 

Office of Research Staff Present -    

• Kimberly Powell, MS, IBC Administrator   

The Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) was held via Zoom on January 12, 2026. The meeting was called to order at 12:04 PM by Dr. Galkina.

I. Conflict of Interest - There is a conflict of interest for Dr. Chandra for the review, as she is a member of the Doncel lab.

II. Administrative Actions -  The minutes from the meeting on December 8, 2025, were reviewed by the IBC. There was a motion to approve the amended minutes, and it was seconded. No motion against approval. The minutes were approved unanimously.

III. Registrations for Review - 

1. Initial Reviews and 5-year Renewals 
   1. Doncel Lab – Reviewer Dr. Guo. PI Dr. Doncel. The main research focus of Dr. Doncel’s lab is the study of epithelial and immunoinflammatory responses of the female and male reproductive tract to diverse stimuli, including new drugs in development with antiHIV/HSV/ZIKV (microbicide) and sperm function inhibitory properties. The lab conducts experiments using numerous techniques that include cell and tissue culture, immunohistochemistry (IHC) on fixed specimens, RT-PCR and ELISA, HIV/HSV/ZIKV in vitro infection. Cell and tissue culture is the main technique used in microbicide testing, HIV and HSV/ZIKV testing.  Cells and tissues are grown in culture where they can be tested with compounds and then challenged with viruses. This is a 5Yr Renewal
      • i. Applicable NIH Guideline Sections  
        • (a) Section III-D-1  
        • (b) Section III-D-3  
      • ii. Projects reviewed: 
        • (a) # 10118 
        • (b) # 10152 
        • (c) # 10245  
        • (d) # 10277 
        • (e) # 10352 
        • (f) # 10441 
        • (g) # 10472 
      • iii. Biological handling and waste disposal – Working with virus is limited to approved personnel in specific controlled spaces. The registration provides a good description of waste disposal and decontamination methods.
        • The committee requests more details about obtaining human biopsy tissues and all safety measures for their containment and transport from what source 
        • Will they be working with monkeys or do they want to remove the monkey viruses from their registration? 
      • iv. IACUC – The IACUC numbers should be updated. 
      • v. Rooms and Spaces – If cell culture uses virus it is done in JI 353 or 316. Non-viral cell culture is conducted in the core lab of JI 321. IHC techniques are conducted in JI 347/349 and analyzed in JI 322. 
      • vi. Members - Please remove Dr. Terry Jacot from the bio-registration.
      • vii. Training – Dr. Doncel needs to update expired biosafety and autoclave training. 
      • iix. Voting – A motion was made to approve pending the necessary modifications. Drs.  Galkina and Nyalwidhe can give final approval upon receipt of the modifications. 
        • (a) Votes For (9) / against (0) / abstain (1)   
        • (b) Conflicts of Interest – 1 
2. Re-Review of Initial Reviews and 5-year Renewals 
3. Annual Reviews with Significant Changes 
4. Re-Review Annual Reviews with Significant Changes 
5. Amendments to Registrations 
6. Completed/Terminated Registrations
7. Annual Reviews with minor changes sent for electronic reviews and final approval pending. 
   1. Alvarez Lab – sent for E-review on 1/7/26
8. final Approvals Granted 
   1.  Popovics Lab – approved 12/8/2025 

IV. Old Business -    

V. New Business-

1. Bruce apprised the committee about the status of the platform migration to OneAegis 

Chaires Adjourned the meeting at 12:20 PM

Macon and Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at 91ÖÆƬ³§ 
Eastern Virginia Medical School
Institutional Biosafety Committee 
Minutes of December 08, 2025, Meeting  

Members Present -

• Aurora Kerscher, Ph.D., Co-Chair 
• Elena Galkina, Ph.D., Co-Chair 
• Bruce Finlay. BSO, Environmental Health & Safety   
• Neelima Chandra, Ph.D., Scientist 
• Kan Wang, Ph.D., Scientist [ABSENT]
• Julius Nyalwidhe, Ph.D., Scientist 
• Ming-Lei Guo, Ph.D., Scientist 
• Nancy Welch, M.D. Consultant [ABSENT]
• Yan Sanders, M.D., Scientist 
• Elizabeth Goodwyn, Community Representative    
• Jamie S. Heisig-Mitchell M.S., Community Representative [ABSENT]
• Courtney Kerr, Environmental Health & Safety
• Chanda Hill, Director, Research Compliance [ABSENT]
• Heather Singleton, M.S., Ad Hoc, Occupational Health
• RaShae Y. O. Cook, M.S., RLATG, CMAR Animal Expert
• Daniel Sullivan, Ph.D., Ad Hoc, IRB [ABSENT]
• David Mu, PhD. Institutional Rep 

Office of Research Staff Present -    

• Kimberly Powell, MS, IBC Administrator   

The Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) was held via Zoom on December 8, 2025. The mee called to order at 12:02 PM by Dr. Kerscher. 

I.Conflict of Interest - No conflicts of interest existed for today’s review. 

II.Administrative Actions -  The minutes from the meeting on October 13, 2025, were reviewed by the IBC. There was a motion to approve the amended minutes, and it was seconded. No motion against approval. The minutes were approved unanimously. 

III. Registrations for Review - 

1. Initial Reviews and 5-year Renewals 
2. Re-Review of Ini al Reviews and 5-year Renewals 
3. Annual Reviews with Significant Changes 
4. Re-Review Annual Reviews with Significant Changes 
5. Amendments to Registrations 
6. Completed/Terminated Registrations
7. final Approvals Granted 

IV. Old Business -    

V. New Business-

1. It was announced to the committee that Dr. Kerscher, who is now the Interim Program Director for the Biomedical Sciences Program, is stepping down as Co-Chair after 15 yrs, and Dr. Nyalwidhe will be taking over that role. 
2.  Dr. Kerscher notified us that there will be a training session on January 7th for those who ship biological materials internationally. More details to come. 

Chaires Adjourned the meeting at 12:18 PM