We encourage investigators to meet with our staff at the beginning of protocol or grant development to determine what ways we may assist. Many times investigators are unaware of the many ways we can help.  

Submission of protocols is an easy process. Simply check "YES" to this question in ARIA: "Will this Research be Conducted in Conjunction with CRC?" then finish inputting your protocol in ARIA. ARIA will ask you to upload the CRC Resource Request Form. This is a short form that will enable our staff to review resource needs and allocations. It is found at CRC Resource Request Form in PDF or CRC Resource Request Form in Word. When the investigator submits the protocol to ARIA, ARIA notifies the CCTR Navigator (Angela Smith) and CRC Nurse Manager (Cynthia Witkowski). Please call (526-7984) or email (ClinicalResearchCenter@uams.edu) the CRC to assure notification.   

The Center for Clinical and Translational Research Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) will review protocols at least once each month. Please submitprotocols to the CCTR by the first Monday of each month.  Once the CCTR receives your protocol submission, the Administrative Team reviews your protocol and the protocol will be placed on the SAC’s agenda.  Some studies only need the Administrative Team's approval. At the same time, the UAMS IRB Committee will review the protocol according to their time frames. SAC reviewers have access to ARIA documents so they will see changes made; thus, an investigator needs only to make changes in ARIA for both committees. The Principal Investigator (PI) is invited to attend the SAC meeting when the protocol is being considered to answer questions and provide supporting detail.

Following the SAC meeting, approval and stipulation letters are sent to the PI by the CCTR. Special provisions exist for expedited review and administrative approval of a protocol.

The protocol does not have to have IRB approval before being submitted to the SAC. However, it must have approval from all oversight bodies prior to its activation within the CCTR. Some investigators require VA R&D and VA IRB approval. Please contact the CCTR if you are not sure which approvals you will require. Following approval, the PI should schedule an implementation meeting as required for protocol activation.

Please contact the CCTR for assistance and answers to any questions regarding submission of a protocol, the approval process, or the steps to protocol activation. The implementation process can be viewed in flow sheet form by clicking a viewing option: (PDF) or (Word).

Once the protocol is activated, the PI will be responsible for a number of requirements over the life of a protocol. Those responsibilities can be viewed by clicking here.

We are here to help you! Please call the administrative staff at 501-526-7800 or ClinicalResearchCenter@uams.edu.