Dual Use Research of Concern

Claremont McKenna College supports the benefits of life sciences research yet recognizes the risk that knowledge, information, products, or technologies generated by such research could unintentionally result in harm, referred to as Dual Use Research of Concern (DURC). When misapplied, DURC may have broad potential consequences to public health and safety, agricultural crops and other plants, animals, the environment, material, or national security.

The United States Government has published policies relevant to DURC, with the intention of raising awareness and limiting the potential for misuse of scientific information derived from life sciences research. Research with one or more of the DURC agents and/or toxins currently listed in the U.S. Government DURC Policy and which produces, aims to produce, or can be reasonably anticipated to produce one or more of the experimental effects of concern listed in the policy must be evaluated by the appropriate review board for its DURC potential.

Select Agents/Toxins include:

Avian influenza virus (highly pathogenic)
Bacillus anthracis
Botulinum neurotoxin (in any quantity)
Burkholderia mallei
Burkholderia pseudomallei
Ebola virus
Foot-and-mouth disease virus
Francisella tularensis
MArburg virus
Reconstructed 1918 influenza virus
Rinderpest virus
Toxin-producing strains of Clostridium botulinum
Variola major virus
Variola minor virus
Yersinia pestis

Principal investigators (PI) are responsible for reviewing the most current United States Government Policy for Oversight of Life Sciences Dual Use of Research of Concern and ensuring that all research involving listed agents is submitted to the appropriate review board.

Questions related to DURC may be directed to the Office of Institutional Philanthropy.