SUBJECT:

Establishment of a Human Anatomical Specimen and Tissue Oversight Committee

Dear Colleagues,

As many of you know, the University of California system has had issues around the appropriate use and disposition of anatomic specimens, and the use of these specimens has come under increasing scrutiny. In response to a directive from the University of California Office of the President and to insure we are fully compliant with best practices, I am announcing the establishment of a Human Anatomical Specimen and Tissue Oversight Committee. The committee will oversee the appropriate and ethical handling of anatomical and tissue specimens at UC San Diego. Its aim is to provide a uniform campus approach for the development of and adherence to systemwide and UC San Diego policies.

The Committee will be chaired by the Dean of the School of Medicine and report to me, as Vice Chancellor for Research. Members of the Committee will include the Responsible Executive Officer of the Anatomical Services Program; the Director of Anatomical Services; a Representative of the Pathology Department; a Campus Counsel; a public member; a representative from Environmental, Health, and Safety; the Institutional Review Board Director; and representatives from all donation programs, including, but not limited to those who harvest brains, human tissues, and other partial body anatomical specimens.

Each UC San Diego program that accepts donations of human tissue will need to submit a candidate for committee membership and all candidates should be an M.D., Ph.D., or MSP representative from their program. Please submit the name to Scott T. Barton, Director of Anatomical Services (stbarton@ucsd.edu) by June 19, 2015. The first meeting of the Committee will be scheduled shortly thereafter.

Sandra A Brown Vice Chancellor for Research UC San Diego