Ethical Sharing Policy

Epolleos commitment to an Ethical Sharing Ecosystem

Why Do We Need an Ethical Sharing Policy?

Confidentiality That Encourages Innovation

Why Do We Need an Ethical Sharing Policy?

Science doesn’t happen in a vacuum. We work with real people, real communities, and real biological material. That means we must be thoughtful. The Ethical Sharing Policy ensures that the trust we earn is never compromised. It helps us to:

Protect personal and educational data.
Keep search queries and research ideas confidential.
Ensure fair access to microbial resources.
Promote responsible commercialization.
Support contributors of all backgrounds.
Align with international ethics and indigenous rights.

The goal isn’t to put up walls—it’s to build bridges that last.

A Safe, Collaborative Space for Everyone

Confidentiality That Encourages Innovation

Why Do We Need an Ethical Sharing Policy?

We believe in science that uplifts,

so we start with protection:

For every user who joins Epolleo, we verify credentials and assign roles based on your needs—whether you’re a student, an educator, or a researcher. We adhere to U.S. and international data privacy laws, including FERPA, COPPA, and GDPR.

That means your personal information is encrypted, minimized, and never shared without consent.

Students are protected by design. Educators are supported without liability.

And everyone agrees to a clear code of responsible conduct.

Confidentiality That Encourages Innovation

Campaigns and Searches: Built for Purpose and Transparency

Have you ever hesitated to share an idea because you weren’t sure it would stay protected? We get that.

Epolleo treats every search, every protocol submission, and every campaign as confidential.

You decide how much of your project you want to share—and with whom. We only allow a handful of vetted reviewers to access full details, and even they are bound by our confidentiality standards.

We also make it easy for you to protect intellectual property. If you discover something new through Epolleo, we work with you to document, co-own (if applicable), and license it fairly and equitably.

Campaigns and Searches: Built for Purpose and Transparency

Every scientific campaign begins with a question.

What microbes are in this soil? Could they help fight disease? Clean water? Enrich learning?

Whether you're submitting a new campaign or searching our database, we guide you through a process that ensures clarity, safety, and transparency.

You tell us your goals. We help make sure your search terms are specific, reviewed, and protected. Everything you do is encrypted and stored with care.

Searches aren't visible to others. We don’t track what you’re looking for to exploit it—we do it to protect your intellectual effort and support collaborative learning.

From Sample to Solution: Ethical Innovation Pathways

Campaigns and Searches: Built for Purpose and Transparency

From Sample to Solution: Ethical Innovation Pathways

Let's say you identify a promising microbe. Now what?

If you want to request a sample, you’ll need to link it to a legitimate search and share a safety protocol.

If it checks out, we’ll send it—along with an explicit agreement outlining your responsibilities.

We only allow microbes that meet safety classifications to be shared, and international transfers are subject to strict regulations.

Thinking about commercializing an idea? We’re here to help, not to get in your way. Just notify us, work with us on a license, and agree to reinvest a portion of royalties back into the ecosystem.

This model helps fund student learning, platform maintenance, and biodiversity conservation.

Incubator Partnerships: Growing Together

Campaigns and Searches: Built for Purpose and Transparency

From Sample to Solution: Ethical Innovation Pathways

Sometimes, you need more than a sample—you need a partner.

That’s where our incubator relationships come in.

These are structured partnerships between Epolleo and innovators who share our mission.

We co-design project milestones, share knowledge, and build pathways to ethical commercialization.

You stay in control of your IP.

We ensure that values are upheld, royalties are fair, and benefits are shared.

Students and Teachers: You’re Not Just Welcome You’re Essential

We don’t just allow student and teacher participation—we celebrate it.

Students can collect, explore, and contribute to real-world research, and their data is fully anonymized unless permission is granted. They also receive non-commercial credit for their contributions.

Teachers are protected under our safe harbor policy when leading approved classroom activities. Their involvement inspires the next generation of scientists—and we make sure they’re not burdened by red tape or risk.

Educational data is never used for marketing or commercial gain unless explicitly approved and attributed.

We keep learning sacred.

Global Standards and Indigenous Respect

Students and Teachers: You’re Not Just Welcome You’re Essential

Epolleo is not just a U.S. project. It’s global. That means we take global ethics seriously.

We adhere to the Nagoya Protocol, the Cartagena Protocol, and the principles of indigenous protections outlined in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Every sample includes traceable metadata. Communities are acknowledged, particularly in cases involving indigenous land or artifacts. Indigenous collaborations, registered permissions, and project significance reports must a be granted prior to any project being authorized.

Learn More About the Indigenous Partnership and Benefits Policy

Imagine What We Can Do Together

Students and Teachers: You’re Not Just Welcome You’re Essential

Imagine What We Can Do Together

Let’s bring this to life:

A 9th-grade biology class in Kentucky collects water samples from a creek. One student discovers a rare microbe. That microbe ends up in the Epolleo library and is cited in a paper five years later.

A nonprofit in India partners with Epolleo to find microbes for low-cost wastewater treatment. They build a community-powered solution—and credit the student who collected the sample.

A biotech firm in Denmark searches the Epolleo database, licenses a candidate, and co-develops a sustainable pesticide. Royalties from that product help fund Epolleo’s LMS expansion.

These aren’t hypotheticals. They’re the kinds of partnerships our Ethical Sharing Policy is built to support

We Invite You to Join Us

Imagine What We Can Do Together

We know policies can be intimidating. That’s why we designed this one to be a living agreement—something that grows with our community and protects what we all care about.

We don’t just want your collaboration. We want your trust. We want to share your ideas. We want to help you explore a world of microbial possibility in a way that uplifts your work, protects your rights, and connects you with others who care.

If you’re ready to join a community that values ethics as much as innovation, we welcome you. Let’s build the future—together.

With appreciation,
Epolleo Program Management Team

Ethical Sharing Policy Summary

Epolleo Ethical Sharing Policy Summary [1.0]

Purpose and Overview The Epolleo ecosystem operates at the intersection of education, scientific research, innovation, and biodiversity preservation. To maintain the integrity, transparency, and sustainability of its microbial database and collaborative platform, this Ethical Sharing Policy outlines guidelines for ethical access, submission, usage, and commercialization of microbial data and materials. The policy is governed by the Ethics and Science Oversight Committee and applies to all participants, including educators, students, researchers, industry partners, and incubator collaborators.

The following sections offer a narrative-based explanation of Epolleo's ethical sharing framework, guiding stakeholders through its expectations and the principles of collaboration, transparency, and innovation it upholds:

User Accounts and Personal Data Protection: To ensure equitable access and user safety, Epolleo requires all participants to register using verified credentials. These credentials confirm institutional affiliation, verify the user's identity, and distinguish between students, educators, researchers, and industry professionals. Student users must be linked to educator accounts to ensure guided participation. Access privileges are role-specific, limiting tools and data based on a user’s purpose within the platform. This approach enhances data integrity and prevents misuse.

Epolleo’s management of personal data complies with major privacy regulations, including FERPA, COPPA, and GDPR. User data is only collected when necessary, shared only with consent, and presented transparently through clear privacy notices. Data security is reinforced through encryption, secure cloud storage, logging of access events, and regular audits. These protections maintain the trust of platform users while upholding global standards for responsible data stewardship.

Confidentiality and Intellectual Property (IP) All user activity within Epolleo—particularly searches and campaign submissions—is treated as confidential. Search terms are anonymized and stored separately from personal information. Protocols and data submitted by users are encrypted and protected under IP safeguards, preventing unauthorized use or exposure.

Submitters can choose the confidentiality level for their campaigns, with Epolleo limiting access to Oversight and technical review personnel. This supports user autonomy while maintaining secure and responsible data management. For microbial discoveries, users may claim IP with appropriate documentation of novelty and utility. Epolleo encourages the sharing of IP when collaboration occurs and provides legal support for formalizing IP agreements. These systems promote innovation, collaboration, and equitable ownership.

Campaign Submission and Screening Protocols Campaign submissions serve as a critical mechanism for proposing new scientific investigations. Each must clearly define its goals, proposed benefits, ethical considerations, and—if educational—curricular relevance. Screening protocols submitted alongside campaigns must meet standards for reproducibility, traceability, and sustainability, with clear documentation of materials, control strategies, and safety considerations.

To uphold scientific credibility and ethical transparency, Epolleo reviews each campaign and protocol through the Ethics and Science Oversight Committee. Some submissions, particularly those seeking publication, undergo a peer review process. All accepted campaigns are archived for future verification, ensuring continuity of knowledge and facilitating collaborative growth.

Database Search Conduct. The Epolleo database is a critical resource for researchers, educators, and innovators. Access to it is tightly controlled to ensure ethical intent, avoid misuse, and protect proprietary ideas. Only approved users, who have passed institutional verification and stated clear research intent, can conduct database searches. Educators receive search tools tailored for classroom settings.

Users submit search term applications, which are reviewed for ethical use and scientific merit. Search activity is time-bound, monitored, and encrypted to maintain confidentiality. Breaches of confidentiality or misuse—including unauthorized scraping or data export—are met with penalties, including suspension or legal action. These protocols protect the shared knowledge repository and promote safe, productive inquiry.

Use of Microbes for Innovation One of Epolleo’s defining contributions is its support for turning microbial data into practical solutions. Any user seeking to utilize a microbial sample for innovation must do so through a transparent process aligned with previously approved searches. Each selection undergoes secondary review to confirm scientific and ethical consistency.

Users must notify Epolleo and sign licensing agreements before pursuing commercialization. Innovations must respect public health, ecological safety, and the benefits to the community. Commercial outputs must acknowledge their origins within the Epolleo ecosystem. These requirements enable responsible product development while preserving shared equity in scientific progress.

Incubator Relationships with Epolleo Epolleo offers incubator opportunities for vetted research and innovation partners. These relationships are forged through a formal Expression of Interest (EOI) process. Applicants must detail their expertise, provide preliminary data, and outline their proposed project. Preference is given to those addressing global health, sustainability, and biodiversity challenges.

Approved partnerships include clearly defined deliverables, regular progress reports, and structured royalty-sharing agreements. All incubator partners sign a code of ethics and remain subject to oversight and potential audits. This model blends freedom to innovate with strong ethical governance and community reinvestment.

Microbe Request Protocols For users seeking physical microbial samples, Epolleo enforces strict standards of safety and transparency. Requests must stem from an approved database search. Only microbes with established safety classifications are eligible for distribution, and each request must include risk mitigation strategies to ensure safety.

Approved requestors enter into a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA), which defines terms for use, safety, retention period, and disposal or return of the material. These agreements also include clauses for downstream data sharing. When samples are transferred internationally, Epolleo ensures compliance with biosafety laws, storage protocols, and export licensing. These layers of responsibility allow for equitable yet secure exploration of microbial diversity.

Royalties, Licensing, and Revenue Sharing: Epolleo’s licensing model fosters long-term financial stability and an equitable distribution of value generated from microbial innovation. Users must demonstrate proof of concept and submit benefit-sharing plans when requesting IP or licenses. The Ethics and Commercial Review Subcommittee makes final decisions.

Licenses may be exclusive or non-exclusive, depending on the application’s scale and social benefit. Royalties are tiered and reinvested into the ecosystem. These funds support Microbe Valley’s educational platform, microbial conservation efforts, and transparent financial reporting. This circular model ensures that success within Epolleo feeds back into its core mission.

Student and Educator Protections Epolleo prioritizes the safety and empowerment of students and teachers. Student data is anonymized, and participation requires parental consent. Recognizing their contributions, students retain non-commercial recognition rights. Teachers are legally protected from liability for classroom-based activities and maintain control over the public exposure of student projects.

Educational data is not for commercial use without review and approval. Any use of student-generated work in marketing or product development requires explicit consent and acknowledgment. These safeguards ensure that Epolleo remains a platform for learning, not exploitation.

Alignment with Global Ethical Standards: Epolleo aligns with international treaties, such as the Nagoya Protocol, thereby reinforcing global equity in research and innovation. All microbial samples are documented with geolocation and host data. Prior Informed Consent (PIC) and Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) protocols are mandatory, ensuring the fair and equitable involvement of communities in the use of resources.

Projects conducted on indigenous lands require co-authorship and adherence to local governance. Traditional Knowledge (TK) is protected, and benefit-sharing plans must reflect the input of the relevant communities. Third-party ethics audits and prohibition of unauthorized sample use further reinforce Epolleo’s commitment to justice, respect, and global cooperation.

Enforcement and Oversight. This policy is overseen by the Ethics and Science Oversight Committee. Violations may result in termination of access, revocation of IP rights, or legal action. All users must review and accept this policy prior to engagement with the Epolleo ecosystem.

Effective Date: 7-1-2025
Review Date: Annual, or as needed based on policy updates or new regulations.

Click here to Review the Epolleo Ethical Sharing Policy

Ensuring what we do matters