On May 5, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order titled “Improving the Safety and Security of Biological Research.” This directive instructs federal agencies to develop guidance for suspending federal funding for “dangerous gain-of-function research,” including research subject to oversight under the DURC/PEPP Policy. This suspension will remain in effect until the DURC/PEPP Policy is revised or replaced.

Until a new federal policy is issued and internal procedures are implemented to ensure institutional compliance, please consult with the Biological Safety Office regarding dual use research, research involving potential pandemic pathogens, or other requirements referencing the above-linked White House Executive Order.

Dual Use of Concern Research (DURC) is life sciences research that, based on current understanding, can be reasonably anticipated to provide knowledge, information, products, or technologies that could be directly misapplied to pose a significant threat with 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 designated a specific group of high-consequence agents and toxins for specific review; however, DURC is not limited to these agents and toxins.

Does your research involve the use of any of the following agents and toxins that are subject to Dual Use Research of Concern?

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