Institutional Review Board (IRB)

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is committed to protecting the rights and welfare of human subjects of research conducted on the campus or sponsored by the Institute.

Rensselaer subscribes to the basic ethical principles that underlie the conduct of biomedical and behavioral research involving human subjects as set forth in the Belmont Report, and in accordance with Title 45, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 46.

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) has the responsibility and authority to review, approve, disapprove, or require changes in research activities involving human subjects. This policy applies to all faculty, staff, and student projects, regardless of whether the project is funded externally, internally, or receives no funding support.

Researchers should refer to Rensselaer's Guidelines for Human Subjects Research to determine whether or not their research is indeed human subjects research, and/or if their research satisfies the requirements for expedited review by the IRB.

IRB Training Requirements

As federally mandated and required by the Rensselaer IRB, all investigators must complete a self-study course in human subject protection via the CITI Training Program. Each investigator on a research project involving human subjects is required to certify that they have completed the required course(s) before engaging in the research.

Basic IRB Review and Approval Procedure

• The principal investigator* must complete the application form to submit proposed research protocols for review to the committee Chair.
• The proposed protocols are reviewed to ensure that the science is appropriate and ethical according to accepted guidelines and that all personnel who will work on the project have received IRB training.
• The approval period is for one year and may be renewed annually, subject to board review and approval.
• All modifications to the approved protocol must be submitted using the Renewal/Closure form and re-approved in writing by the IRB prior to implementation.
• When the research is finished, the PI must submit a Closure form to the IRB.

* The investigator who is primarily responsible for the conduct of the research. Students who are principal investigators must submit a letter of support from their faculty adviser.

Chair of the Institutional Review Board

Michael Kalsher, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Cognitive Science

Institutional Official (IO)

Wolf von Maltzahn, Ph.D.
Associate Vice President for Research (518) 276-4873; vonmaw@rpi.edu