According to the National Institutes of Health, dual use research of concern (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, materiel, or national security."
The following documents can provide further clarification on the subject:
- NIH Office of Science Policy Dual Use Research of Concern
- UNMC IBC-42: Dual Research of Concern Policy