The University of California Office of the President invites comments on revisions to the Dual Use Research of Concern and Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential UC Presidential Policy. This policy revises the current policy with new and updated provisions, per the White House communication on dual use research issued May 6, 2024, and the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) issued United States Government Policy for Oversight of Dual Use Research of Concern (DURC) and Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential (PEPP) (USG Policy).
The revisions implement change made by the new USG Policy, including the following key aspects:
- Adoption of the USG Policy for the institutional review and oversight of research with biological agents or toxins categorized as DURC (Category 1) or PEPP (Category 2).
- The expectation that UC Locations review federally and non-federally funded research for DURC and PEPP. However, it allows UC Locations to develop a different oversight framework for non-federally funded research, provided that it is consistent with the principles of the USG Policy.
- A succinct description of the Compliance Responsibilities for Principal Investigators, UC Location Institutional Contacts for Dual Use Research, and Vice Chancellors for Research (and their equivalents at ANR and LBNL).
- A Procedures Section that provides high-level requirements for compliance with the USG Policy.
Comments may be submitted to the Policy Coordination Office at pco@ucsc.edu by close of business March 16, 2025.
To view this and all other campus administrative policies, see https://policy.ucsc.edu.
