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Institutional Review Board (IRB)

Academic Affairs

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) is a campus committee empowered by federal regulations to oversee research activities involving human subjects. The IRB is responsible for the review and monitoring of research involving human subjects in order to assure the protection of the rights and welfare of the subjects participating in research.

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) is a campus committee empowered by federal regulations to oversee research activities involving human subjects. The IRB is responsible for the review and monitoring of research involving human subjects in order to assure the protection of the rights and welfare of the subjects participating in research.

The IRB utilizes IRBNet for the submission of all human subjects research studies. IRBNet is a web-based system of electronic tools to support the management, submission, review and administration of IRB protocols. Here are for working within IRBNet. 

Researchers are encouraged to go to the Forms and Templates tab within IRBNet and review the Institutional Review Board Documents for Researchers. Resources include the IRB procedures handbook (found below), necessary forms, and tools to navigate IRBNet. 

The IRB accepts applications on a year-round basis. The only deadlines are for protocols receiving full board reviews. Research activities in which involvement of human subjects involves more than minimal risk and does not fall within one or more of the exemption categories or expedited review categories, or involves certain vulnerable populations (e.g. prisoners) must undergo a full board review by a quorum of the IRB committee. 

 

Office hours:

IRB chairperson Dr. Lindsey Eberman and vice-chairperson Dr. Whitney Nesser have IRB office hours. During the times listed below, they will be available on Zoom to discuss questions related to your IRB application. Plan to use these hours for any question or issue that cannot be addressed through email. 

Dr. Lindsey Eberman's office hours are typically Wednesdays 9 am - 12 pm (except when there is an IRB meeting). Please schedule using Calendly (click here) 24 hours in advance. If you have an existing/active application, please provide the application number to help Dr. Eberman prepare for your meeting. If you are unable to schedule during the available times please email Dr. Eberman directly at Lindsey.Eberman@al10669.com. 

Dr. Whitney Nesser's office hours are scheduled by appointment. Please contact Dr. Nesser directly to schedule an appointment at Whitney.Nesser@al10669.com.

 

Important Updates and Resources

Quality Improvement/Action Research Self-Determination Tool

We have developed a Quality Improvement/Action Research Self-Determination Tool that will help PIs identify if their project qualifies under the federal definition of research. Research is defined as "a systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge." (45 CFR 46.102(d)). However, not all of the scholarly work falls under the federal definition of research. Based on each profession, the title of this scholarship may be different (program improvement, program evaluation, quality improvement, action inquiry, action research, etc.). For ease of use, we have chosen to use the terms quality improvement and action research to guide this self-determination. The tool aims to allow users to evaluate their scholarly activities to determine if human subjects review is necessary. Although not required, we are encouraging use of the Quality Improvement/Action Research Self-Determination Tool to ensure, if they are in fact doing human subjects research, they are guided toward the IRB review process. The tool is available for both students and faculty. When the tool is completed, notifications will be communicated to the user, faculty sponsor (if applicable), and the IRB Administrators. The user will get an immediate indication of whether their project may require human subjects review. We will regularly audit responses and contact users and faculty sponsors if a project rises to the level of human subjects research and requires a review, but may not have indicated so to the user who completed it. Because we know it may be used as an instructional tool, we have also included an option for Testing/Demonstration.

Link to QI/AR Self-Determination Tool: http://indstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4UD0Wkl6jcjh6cu

Video Resource: http://youtu.be/ySneFqfJixo

 

IRB Form A and using the Informed Consent Templates Video Resource

Video Resource: http://youtu.be/7L0Bijk2q4M

Getting Started

 

Members & Meeting Schedule

Institutional Review Board Human Protection Regulations

Human Subject Regulations Decision Charts (OHRP)

The university's IRB policy differs from federal regulation in that it requires that researchers requesting exempt status submit the protocols to the IRB for exempt status determination. (See OHRP link above.)