General Information
What is the IRB's Mission?
The primary mission of all Institutional Review Boards (IRB) is to facilitate research objectives by reviewing, approving, modifying or disapproving research protocols submitted by researchers. The IRB process is based on rules and regulations for federally funded research, primarily the provisions of Protection of Human Subjects in the Code of Federal Regulations (45 CFR 46), and supporting materials such as the Belmont Report. The IRB strives to respect the rights and welfare of human research participants, while advancing knowledge and facilitating the highest quality research.
What needs IRB approval?
All Human Subjects Research must receive approval from an IRB. Therefore, if your research meets the definitions of both research and human subjects, you must complete the IRB process. To view the definitions based on federal guidelines,​ click here.Â
Does a pilot study need to be reviewed by the IRB?
Perhaps. The number of participants does not determine whether review is needed. The determining factor is whether or not human subjects are involved in research per the federal definition.