The UC-SCRO Committee is responsible for the following with regard to human embryonic stem (hES) cell lines:

1. Provide oversight over all issues related to the procurement and use of  hES cell lines;
2. Develop guidelines for the University of Connecticut with respect to research involving hES cell lines and their derivatives consistent with State of Connecticut Public Act No. 05-149;
3. Provide scientific and ethical review of, and approve in writing, research protocols using human embryonic stem cells as required by the committee’s guidelines and policies;
   1. Receive and review documentation of compliance of all in-house human stem cell research with applicable regulatory requirements and University of Connecticut policies, including guidelines to be developed with respect to research involving hES cell lines. This shall include projects initiated prior to the establishment of the SCRO committee;
   2. Ensure documentation of the provenance of human embryonic stem cell lines, including evidence of IRB review and approval of the procurement process as appropriate;
4. Review cases of collaborative research with investigators at other institutions to determine if procedures prescribed by their institution afford protections equivalent to U.S., Connecticut, or University of Connecticut guidelines or may be substituted for one or more of these guidelines;
5. Maintain registries of all hES cell research conducted at the University of Connecticut and hES cell lines derived or imported by institutional investigators, including lines imported prior to the establishment of the committee. At a minimum the registry will include information regarding all of the following, unless requirement for documentation has been waived:
   1. whether the cells were obtained ethically and with informed consent;
   2. whether they are screened for safety;
   3. the conditions under which they are maintained and stored;
6. Facilitate education of investigators involved in hES cell research with respect to relevant ethical, legal, and policy issues in hES cell research;
7. Monitor local, state, national, and international ethical, regulatory, and policy discussions and make recommendations to modify University of Connecticut policy as needed; and

Provide advice on ethical issues related to human embryonic stem cell research as requested by University of Connecticut administrators, oversight committees, or individual investigators.  The SCRO Committee is also responsible for oversight of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPS) lines derived from human tissue for the following:

1. Provide scientific and ethical review of, and approve in writing, research protocols using human induced pluripotent stem cells as required by the committee’s guidelines and policies; (See section III).
2. Review cases of collaborative research with investigators at other institutions for iPS research falling under the committee’s jurisdiction to determine if procedures prescribed by their institution afford protections to the University of Connecticut guidelines;
3. Facilitate education of investigators involved in iPS cell research with respect to relevant ethical, legal, and policy issues;
4. Monitor local, state, national, and international ethical, regulatory, and policy discussions and make recommendations to modify University of Connecticut policy as needed; and
5. Provide advice on ethical issues related to iPS cell research as requested by University of Connecticut administrators, oversight committees, or individual investigators.