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  3. Human Subjects Research
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    New Researchers

    Welcome to the University of Connecticut (UConn) and to UConn’s Human Research Protection Program (HRPP). The mission of the HRPP is to:

    • Safeguard and promote the health and welfare of human research subjects by ensuring that their rights, safety and well-being are protected;
    • Provide guidance and support to the research community in the conduct of research with human subjects;
    • Assist the research community in ensuring compliance with relevant regulations;
    • Provide timely and high-quality education, review, and oversight of human research projects; and
    • Facilitate excellence in the conduct of human subjects research.

     

    We would like to give you a head start on your success at UConn by providing you with information about the Institutional Review Board (IRB). We urge you to familiarize yourself with the following information at your earliest convenience. 

     

    IRB Website – Contact Information for HRPP/IRB leadership and IRB staff is available on our website.  Our website also includes a list of staff assignments so please use that as a guide for help with questions.  When in doubt, send an email to the general IRB inbox and your email will be directed to an appropriate staff member.

     

    Turnaround Times – Turnaround times vary based on the type of submission, the quality of the submission, the level of review required, and whether the review will be conducted by the UConn IRB or BRANY IRB.  In general, please submit well in advance of when you plan to implement the research to allow sufficient time for review, response, and approval.  Meeting dates for convened board reviews are posted on the IRB website. Submissions are processed in the order in which they are received.

     

    UConn and UConn Health – UConn and UConn Health have unique Human Research Protection Programs overseen by a single Associate Director, Shemetra Owens, and by the Associate Vice President for Research Integrity & Compliance, Michael Centola.  Each have their own IRBs.  UConn and UConn Health have a reliance agreement (aka cooperative agreement) to facilitate research that involves both institutions.  Investigators should reach out to the IRB Reliance team (irb-reliance@uconn.edu prior to submitting a collaborative research study to either IRB. The IRB offices will work together to determine who will serve as the IRB of record.  More information about collaborative research with UConn Health, and about cross-campus recruiting and use of facilities can be found on our IRB Reliance – General webpage.

     

    Training – Please complete UConn’s CITI training or affiliate your existing CITI training with UConn – Storrs and Regional Campuses. Note that you can log in to CITI with your UConn NetID and password.  Note that you can log in to CITI with your UConn NetID and password.  When you affiliate your existing training, there is a good chance that some of the modules you already completed will transfer to UConn.  When you affiliate with UConn – Storrs and Regional Campuses your training will be visible to the IRB office for verification when you submit.  Alternatively, you can upload a CITI Completion Report (not a CITI Training Certificate) into InfoEd. The IRB Office will review the training report to confirm that it is current (within 3 years) and that it meets UConn’s training requirements or is substantially equivalent (at least 70% of the modules align). Any listed personnel in your protocol submissions must have also completed training.  Additional information is available on the IRB’s Required Training webpage. If you have questions about training requirements, please contact irb@uconn.edu.

     

    BRANY IRB – In June 2023, UConn designated BRANY IRB as its IRB for externally funded research and certain multisite studies. BRANY IRB is an independent IRB that provides timely expert review of both SBER and Biomedical studies. Information about BRANY IRB is available on our BRANY IRB webpage. If you have any questions, please contact irb-reliance@uconn.edu.  Please include BRANY in the subject line.

     

    InfoEd – UConn uses InfoEd for protocol development and for protocol management.  InfoEd is an enterprise-level, web-based application.  The IRB developed guides to assist researchers with various functions.  You might have to log in with your NetID and password to see the guides.  We strongly suggest that you review these guides before submitting.  Support is available if you require technical assistance.  Please contact the IRB office if you have non-technical questions.

     

    UConn IRB Protocol Submission Forms – For each submission, be sure to download the most recent versions of the forms from the IRB Submissions, Forms & Templates webpage.  Forms and templates are regularly updated so please be sure to visit the website prior to submitting to ensure that you are using the current versions.   Be sure to use the consent form template that is appropriate for the level of review.

     

    Level of Review – If you have questions as to what level of review (e.g., NHSR, exempt, expedited, convened) your research may require, contact irb@uconn.edu.

     

    Human Subjects Research Determinations – Investigators who are unsure if their proposed activity constitutes “human subjects research” according to federal regulations, may submit a request for a Human Subjects Research (HSR) Determination through InfoEd. Investigators are especially encouraged to submit for a determination when there are plans for dissemination as requests for IRB documentation are increasingly common. Based on the information provided, the IRB Office will determine if the proposed activity meets the regulatory definitions of “human subjects” and “research” and either grant a Not Human Subjects Research (NHSR) letter or advise as to next steps regarding the need to secure formal exemption or approval from the IRB.  The determination form for upload into InfoEd is available on our IRB Submissions, Forms & Templates webpage.

     

    118 (Just in Time) Determinations –118 Determinations (aka “just in time” or “development only”) apply to federally funded research and certain grant types when the human subjects activities are not yet fully known or developed and cannot be clearly articulated in an application or proposal.  If you would like a determination, complete the Human Subjects Research Determination Form available on our IRB Submissions, Forms & Templates webpage and submit via InfoEd.  If you have questions, please contact Doug Bradway via email at doug.bradway@uconn.edu or contact irb@uconn.edu.

     

    Reliance and Protocol Transfers – New faculty and researchers are strongly encouraged to contact UConn reliance as early as possible to facilitate reliance with a previous institution or to initiate submission of research previously approved by another IRB.

     

    IRB Membership – the IRB values diversity in expertise and viewpoints and is always looking for new, volunteer faculty members.  New members are trained through a comprehensive on-boarding process.  IRB members gain experience reviewing biomedical, education, social and behavioral research.  IRB service also offers an opportunity to learn about current research at UConn.  Members participate in ethical discussions relating to current studies and help represent the thoughts and concerns of the local community.  New members are typically appointed to three-year terms.  UConn has two IRB’s that each meet once per month, including summer.  Members may be asked to review expedited protocols or offer their expertise on certain aspects of protocol submissions.  If you are interested in IRB membership, please contact the IRB Manager, Karen Christianson.

     

    Updated 8.7.2025