Institutional Review Board

IRB Purpose and Mission

The IRB’s mission is to ensure the safe and ethical conduct of research with the goal of protecting human subjects. IRB members function as advocates for human subjects’ rights, safety, and welfare. The committee has the power to review, approve, require modifications to, or disapprove proposed human subjects research activities.

Cayuse and the IRB

The Institutional Review Board uses Cayuse for processing and approval of all studies involving human subjects.

For more information visit the Cayuse Human Ethics webpage.

What is Subject to IRB Review?

Projects that meet the definition of the definition of research involving human subjects that are conducted at the University or conducted by University faculty, staff, or students at locations other than those owned by the University are subject to review and approval by the IRB. This is applicable regardless of whether the project involves funding from an external agency.

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 (l)).

Human subject is a living individual about whom an investigator (whether professional or student) conducting research (45 CFR 46.102 e(1)):

• Obtains information or biospecimens through intervention or interaction with the individual, and uses, studies, or analyzes the information or biospecimens; or  

•  Obtains, uses, studies, analyzes, or generates identifiable private information or identifiable biospecimens.  

What is Not Subject to IRB Review?

The following list of activities do not meet the definition of research according to 45 CFR 45.102 (l)(1-4).

Any activity that falls into these categories does not require IRB review: 

1. Scholarly and journalistic activities (e.g., oral history, journalism, biography, literary criticism, legal research, and historical scholarship), including the collection and use of information that focus directly on the specific individuals about whom the information is collected.  
2. Public health surveillance activities, including the collection and testing of information or biospecimens, conducted, supported, requested, ordered, required, or authorized by a public health authority. Such activities are limited to those necessary to allow a public health authority to identify, monitor, assess, or investigate potential public health signals, onsets of disease outbreaks, or conditions of public health importance (including trends, signals, risk factors, patterns in diseases, or increases in injuries from using consumer products). Such activities include those associated with providing timely situational awareness and priority setting during the course of an event or crisis that threatens public health (including natural or man-made disasters). 
3. Collection and analysis of information, biospecimens, or records by or for a criminal justice agency for activities authorized by law or court order solely for criminal justice or criminal investigative purposes.
4. Authorized operational activities (as determined by each Federal agency) in support of intelligence, homeland security, defense, or other national security missions.  

In addition to the categories excluded from the definition of research involving human subjects indicated above, WP IRB does not require IRB review the following types of projects:  

5. Quality Assurance or Quality Improvement projects. Activities such as Institutional, Departmental, or Program Assessment projects at WP,  Pedagogical Assessment by WP Instructors for WP Improvement, do not require IRB review.  

IRB Decision Tree

The IRB encourages you to assess if your research requires IRB review.

The IRB provides the IRB Decision Tree as a resource to help you determine if your project needs IRB review. Students are also encouraged to consult with their faculty advisor to make this decision.  Please email the IRB if you have any questions about this decision.