Division of Research

Embryonic Stem Cell Research Oversight (ESCRO) Committee

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Embryonic Stem Cell Research Oversight (ESCRO) Committee

Brown University's Embryonic Stem Cell Research Oversight (ESCRO) Committee ensures that any Brown human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research is conducted only after full consideration of all relevant scientific, medical, regulatory and ethical issues, including compliance with Rhode Island statutes.

ESCRO Responsibilities

The ESCRO Committee is an essential resource for all Brown research involving hESCs, performing a number of actions including the following:

  • Conducts a thorough review of scientific and ethical merits of all Brown research activities involving the derivation or use of hESCs
  • Ensures the provenance of hESC lines used by Brown University is documented
  • Maintains a registry of Brown University's ongoing hESC research
  • Educates Brown personnel on existing guidelines, laws and procedures relating to the derivation and use of hESCs in research

ESCRO Committee Assembly

The Embryonic Stem Cell Research Oversight (ESCRO) Committee is not a standing committee but is instead assembled as needed to review hESC research at Brown. Any Brown investigator planning to conduct hESC research must notify the Research Integrity team (escro@brown.edu) as soon as possible to allow time for an ESCRO Committee meeting to be called well in advance of research commencing.

Contact the ESCRO Committee

For any questions, or to initiate a project review, contact the ESCRO Committee at escro@brown.edu.

Project Review Categories

Category of ReviewType of ReviewType(s) of Qualified Projects
Category A ProjectsMinimal ESCRO Committee Review RequiredIn vitro research on (i) cell lines on the NIH Registry, or (ii) cell lines that have been approved as “anonymous lines” by the Brown University ESCRO Committee.
Category B ProjectsAdditional ESCRO Committee Review RequiredProjects involving (i) the derivation of new hESC lines, (ii) the introduction of hESCs or their derivatives into humans or non-human animals, and/or (iii) the use of hESC lines classified by the ESCRO Committee as “non-anonymous lines”.
Category B1Expedited ReviewProjects involving the introduction of hESCs or their derivatives into post-pubertal non-human animals are eligible if deemed to have limited potential to contribute to brain or reproductive function.
Category B2Standard ReviewProjects involving (i) the derivation of new hESC lines, (ii) the use of non-anonymous lines, or (iii) the introduction of hESCs or their derivatives to humans or pre-pubertal animals.
Category C ProjectsNOT PERMITTEDProjects involving (i) the in vitro culture of an intact human embryo for more than 12 days or until the primitive streak begins, (ii) the introduction of hESCs into human or non-human primate blastocytes, or (iii) the breeding (or insufficient control to prevent breeding) of animals into which hESCs have been introduced.

Other Reviews and Approvals of hESC or iPSC Research

Review by the ESCRO Committee does not satisfy other regulatory review requirements by Brown University boards and committees. Institutional Review Board (IRB), Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) and/or Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) review is required in addition to ESCRO Committee review in the following situations:

  • Research involving hESCs where the donor may be identified by the Brown investigator, including cell lines that retain links (such as code) to identifiable information, is considered to be Human Subjects Research that requires IRB review.
  • Research involving hESCs where there is interaction or intervention with a living individual and information about such individual, or tissue from such individual, is obtained, is considered Human Subjects Research that requires IRB review.
  • Derivation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from identifiable patient, volunteer, or repository samples that meet the definition of human subjects must have prospective IRB Approval.
  • All hESC research involving the use of live vertebrate animals is subject to the approval of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).
  • All research involving the use of human blood, body fluids, tissues and/or cell lines is subject to the approval of the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC).

Review and approval by other Brown compliance committees may occur prior to or concurrently with ESCRO review.

ESCRO Project Review Form [Google Doc]

Related Policies and Procedures

Additional Resources