is the sole purpose of the UAMS Institutional Review Board, a division of the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs. The IRB -- four separate committees comprising healthcare providers from a variety of disciplines and lay representatives from the at-large community -- has the authority to approve, disapprove, or require modifications of research activities that fall within its jurisdiction. In addition, the IRB may work in conjunction with other university or institutional committees; however, it reviews research projects independently based upon the principle that human participants will be adequately protected.

All research projects involving human subjects must be submitted to the committee through use of the IRB forms prior to initiation of the research. Principal investigators submitting to the IRB should refer to the IRB Standard Operating Policies and Procedures for specific guidelines on conduct of human research studies. This department is in the process of developing a new user-friendly IRB Investigator's Handbook.

The IRB serves the following institutions:

• University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS)
• Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH)
• Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI)
• Arkansas Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)

The UAMS Institutional Review Board administrative office is located in the Biomedical Research Center, Building One, Room 172. Operational hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The office is closed during UAMS holidays.

ADDITIONAL LINKS

• Office of Research Compliance
• Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) -- Grants and Funding Information
• Research Support Center
• Arkansas Agencies/Governmental and Non-Governmental (ORSP Web site)
• Federal Agencies (ORSP Web site)
• NIH Roadmap
• Office for Human Research Protections (HHS)
• OHRP Guidance on Research Involving Coded Private Information
   or Biological Specimens (PDF)
• Conflict of Interest for Academic Staff Members
• Conflict of Interest for Non-Academic Staff