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Institutional Review Board (IRB)

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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 is a Quick Start Guide 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, 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. 

 

Important Updates and Resources

IRB Form A and using the Informed Consent Templates Video Resource

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

Getting Started

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: https://youtu.be/ySneFqfJixo

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.)

The IRB is responsible for providing guidance and oversight for research, educational, and training activities involving human osteological materials. Human osteological materials are whole or partial skeletons, individual bones or bone fragments); and/or materials that are naturally or culturally shed (e.g. teeth, hair, nails) from deceased human beings. We are in the process of auditing all campus activities including human osteological materials. The auditing process will help ensure that all human osteological materials are respectfully cared for, managed appropriately, and consistent with applicable laws and standards including but not limited to the Native American Graves Protections and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and the American Anthropological Association report on the Ethical Treatment of Human Remains. 
Anyone affiliated with ISU who uses human osteological resources (excluding cadavers or synthetic replicas) in teaching or is a researcher in projects that include said material is required to use the auditing tool prior to the start of their class or project. Currently ongoing teaching or research should be addressed through the Qualtrics survey as soon as possible. 

Auditing Tool