In compliance with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) regulations for the Protection of Human Research Subjects (45 CFR 46, as amended), IMSA has established an Institutional Review Board (IRB) which is housed within OIR. Dr. Pareja serves as the IRB Chair and Dr. Anderson serves as the IRB Administrator. The processes and structures established by the IRB are designed to define and standardize the reviews of research proposals involving the use of human and animal subjects which are deemed to be of value but may place such subjects in at-risk situations.
All research projects involving the use of human and animal subjects conducted by IMSA faculty, staff and/or students or sponsored in part or in whole by IMSA must be reviewed and approved by the IRB, in accordance with the Research with Human and Animal Subjects: Policies And Procedures manual located in OIR. All IMSA faculty, staff, students, and other individuals conducting research projects that are sponsored in part or in whole by IMSA, shall be responsible for complying with the procedures described therein. Staff of the IRB and OIR shall be responsible for advising others of their responsibilities and for addressing questions and concerns that may arise.
IMSA shall be guided by the ethical principles regarding all research involving humans as subjects as set forth in the report of the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research entitled “Ethical Principles and Guidelines for the Protection of Human Subjects of Research.”
The IRB shall encourage and promote constructive communication among students, faculty, and staff, as well as the human subjects, in order to maintain a high level of awareness regarding the safeguarding of the rights and welfare of the subjects. Correspondence concerning human and animal subject research and requests for additional information should be directed to the IRB, in care of the IRB committee chair, located in OIR, for review and response.
IRB Members
- Dr. Amber Stitziel Pareja, Executive Director, Office of Institutional Research (IRB Chair) – Scientist
- Dr. Adrienne Coleman, Director of Equity and Inclusion – Scientist, expertise with minor populations
- Dana Ginnett, Associate Director of Student Affairs – Non-scientist, expertise with minor populations
- Dr. Norman “Storm” Robinson III, Executive Director of Professional Field Services – Non-scientist
- Dr. Eric Smith, Faculty Member of History and Social Science – Non-scientist
- Ami Szechinski, AbbVie, IMSA Class of 1991 (External Reviewer) – Non-scientist
- Dr. Brian Trainor, Mathematics Faculty Member – Non-Scientist
IRB Administrator
- Dr. Hannah Anderson, Institutional Research Associate
