DEFINITION: Human or non-human tissue samples are defined as fresh tissue, organs, human or animal parts, blood, blood products (including Blood Agar), teeth, cell(s) and established cell lines and tissue cultures, DNA source material and body fluids (i.e., saliva, tears, urine.)
ALL projects involving research with tissue/cell lines must be pre-approved by the LA County Science Review Committee (SRC) before experimentation is begun.
Research that NEEDS NO PRE-APPROVAL
Plant tissue, cut hair samples, tissue samples, etc. obtained from commercial businesses, food stores, restaurants, packinghouses or science supply companies DO NOT need pre-approval.
Prohibited Research
Students may not collect blood or tissue from living human or vertebrate animals. California law only allows medical doctors, registered nurses or licensed phlebotomists (lab technicians) to collect blood from a vein or artery. Animals may not be sacrificed solely to obtain tissue samples.
Safety Precautions
- All projects must conform to the CA Education Code Title 2, Division 2, Part 28, Chapter 4, Article 5, 51540.
- Students may conduct research on human blood, blood products or other body fluids only if tissues are handled in accordance with standards and guidelines set forth in the OSHA Laboratory Safety Guidance booklet under the supervision of a qualified scientist.
- All bodily fluids shall be treated in the same manner as pathogenic or potentially pathogenic agents as defined in Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL), published by CDC-NIH.
- Any project involving human or non-human tissue samples shall have a Research Plan that includes the objectives and goals for the project and a list of the tissues, organs or parts involved in the experiment. The Research Plan shall describe fully the methods and techniques involved in the project including the procurement and disposition of all proposed tissue samples. The Research Plan shall also include the source for the tissue samples, genus, species and common name. The Research Plan shall indicate the date of sample acquisition and be certified by the person providing the tissue sample that the student was not involved in the direct acquisition of the samples from living human or vertebrate animals.
- Human blood and blood products (including Student Researcher’s own blood) must be documented by a research institution or certified blood test as free of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and Hepatitis antibodies and antigens prior to the student receiving the tissue. Teeth shall be sterilized and certified free of blood and blood products.
- When live or preserved tissue samples or parts of human or vertebrate animals are obtained by the student from an institution or Biomedical Scientist, an email will be sent via the LACSEF system to the Biomedical Scientist for verification. Pre-approval process WILL NOT BEGIN until the scientist has verified and approved the student’s submission. Student researchers who collect specimens of body fluids from human subjects are also required to fill out a Written Consent Form (included as part of the cells/tissue pre approval form.)
Please see the Tissues /Cells Webinar for more information regarding projects involving Tissues and/or Cell Lines.
Below are the resources needed for Research involving Tissues / Cells:
- Tissues / Cells Online Pre-Approval template (This is a fillable PDF. Please download this document to your device and enter your responses in the given boxes. You do not need to complete the form in one sitting. Choose Save to save your progress. Once you complete the form, get it approved by your adult supervisor and site coordinator BEFORE you go online to complete the online pre-approval form. You can then copy and paste your responses in the appropriate sections of the online form.)
In addition, Senior Division students need to complete the ISEF Human Informed Consent form and bring them to the fair.