Re: Question for University RSOs

["Frank E. Gallagher, III" <fegallag@uci.edu>]

Mary Beth Taormina wrote:
>I'm trying to get information about universities
>that have affiliated biotechnology
>facilities/parks/groups, etc.  For
>those of you who are familiar with this situation,
>how have you handled radioactive materials
>licensing?  Do you require the incubator companies
>to have their own separate license, or do they
>operate under the university's license?  Thanks in
>advance for your advice!

We have done it both ways.  We have experience with two separate
arrangements in which the University leased-back part of the building owned
by the company, which is located on land leased by the company from the
University.  We have a very tight environmental clause in the agreements
that the University attorneys worked hard to get included.

In the first case, we treated the biotech company just like a research group
on campus under our state license, giving them a Radiation Use
Authorization, performing audits and surveys, etc., but charging them for
our services.  This worked very well and we had tight controls.  The company
eventually moved out, terminated the lease for the land, and sold the
building to the University. 

For the second case, the state changed its mind and made the biotech firm
get its own license.  We provided dosimetry through our vendor, but we could
not do instrument calibrations or take care of their waste.  We still do
audits and surveys, but we have much less control.  The state does entirely
separate inspections for this biotech firm (we tried, but were never able to
get the state to notify us so we could participate in the inspections).
This arrangement continues. 

We anticipate additional biotech firms moving into new buildings on
University-owned land over the next few years.  Some of them will probably
use radioactive materials, most likely under separate state licenses.

Frank E. Gallagher, III, CHP
Manager, Radiation Protection

Environmental Health and Safety     |     E-mail: fegallag@uci.edu
University of California, Irvine    |     Phone:  (714) 824-6904  
300 University Tower                |     Fax:    (714) 824-8539
Irvine, CA   92697-2725