University of Rochester
EMERGENCY INFORMATIONCALENDARDIRECTORYA TO Z INDEXCONTACTGIVINGTEXT ONLY

Policy on Serum Banking

The purpose of banking baseline serum from University of Rochester laboratory employees is to provide assistance with clinical diagnosis and/or treatment in the event of an occupational exposure. The protocol will facilitate appropriate storage (freeze) of baseline serum, in Serology (SMH Clinical Laboratories), for designated employees, using a reliable, systematic method. Among the major points of this policy are the following:

  1. Research experiments assessed at biosafety level 2+ and 3 will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) in consultation with the Hospital Epidemiologist for appropriateness of baseline serum storage. Researchers working at BSL2+ or higher should contact the IBC for details.
  2. Serum banking based on experiments assessed at biosafety level 1 and 2 is not recommended for experiments assessed at BSL-1 and, generally, BSL-2.
  3. All serum banking is done on a voluntary basis. Employee serum is used only for diagnostic purposes with the consent of the individual whose serum is to be tested.
  4. If serum banking is recommended by the IBC in consultation with the Hospital Epidemiologist and is declined, this declination must include completing the University of Rochester Consent/Declination Form for Laboratory Employee Serum Banking. This form must be forwarded to University Health Service Occupational Health Unit.
  5. Serum banking does not negate the requirement of immediately reporting to UHS any employee exposure to blood, body fluids or infectious agents.
  6. Serum is stored by the Serology Laboratory of the Strong Memorial Hospital Clinical Laboratories. Storage of employee serum samples in laboratory freezers is not appropriate.
  7. A list of infectious agents for which baseline serum banking has been recommended is available through the Biosafety Officer of the Institutional Biosafety Committee (x5-3241; jives@safety.rochester.edu OR martin_pavelka@urmc.rochester.edu).

Detailed instructions on the serum banking policy can be downloaded from this web site, as a PDF file.

This page last updated 3/8/07. Disclaimer