IRB Health Sciences and Behavioral Sciences (HSBS)
About the Health Sciences and Behavioral Sciences IRB (IRB-HSBS)
The Health Sciences and Behavioral Sciences Institutional Review Board (IRB-HSBS) is responsible for protecting the rights and welfare of human participants in research conducted by faculty, staff and students affiliated with the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor Campus as well as the Dearborn and Flint Campuses (see list of supported units).
Although most IRB review practices are the same for the three campuses, there may be some requirements unique to Flint or Dearborn (e.g., procedures for use of subject pools, specific document templates, or academic program required information for research applications). This information will be referenced in these web pages or you can contact the staff liaison for your unit if you have questions about Flint or Dearborn requirements.
The IRB-HSBS:
- Reviews and oversees research to ensure that it meets ethical principles and complies with federal regulations, state laws, and university policies (see HRPP Policies)
- Assists researchers in the design and conduct of sound research in support of U-M’s mission to develop and disseminate new knowledge in the public interest
What is an IRB?
An IRB is an independent committee made up of at least five (5) members from the academic disciplines for which it has oversight and at least one member who is not affiliated with the institution. The membership:
- Comes primarily from faculty
- May also include students, staff and members of the community
- Must have the expertise and experience to evaluate proposed research projects
- Must be diverse in terms of race, gender and cultural backgrounds
U-M HRPP Operations Manual IRB References
IRB organization, authority: Part 2, Section II, C.1
IRB jurisdiction: Part 5, Section II
IRB-HSBS Team
Corey Zolondek, Ph.D., CIP
Director
Adam J. Mrdjenovich, Ph.D.
Lead Research Compliance Specialist, Education Coordinator
Mary E. Donnelly, MBA, CIP
Lead Research Compliance Specialist, Full Board Administrator
Joseph Monsur
Senior Research Compliance Specialist
Li Morrow, M.Ed., CIP
Intermediate Research Compliance Specialist, Assistant Full Board Administrator
Elizabeth Molina, M.S., CIP
Intermediate Research Compliance Specialist
Lavar Green-Jackson, M.S.
Research Compliance Specialist
Wendy Peebles, MSW
Research Compliance Specialist
IRB-HSBS Boards
The IRB-HSBS consists of two (2) boards led by the IRB Co-Chairs Riann Palmieri-Smith, Ph.D. and Thad Polk, Ph.D., and Vice Chairs Rob Hymes, Ph.D. and Kazuko Hiramatsu, Ph.D. Each board meets monthly. Designated IRB members also conduct expedited review of applications on a rolling basis. Each board includes faculty representatives from U-M Dearborn and U-M Flint.
IRB-HSBS full board rosterIRB-HSBS Office
The IRB-HSBS regulatory compliance staff supports the operations of the two boards. As a researcher, most of your interaction with the IRB is through the staff as they assist you with questions about IRB process and regulatory requirements, as well as provide educational programming to the research community.
IRB staff members:
- Conduct administrative review of new submissions
- Manage application workflow
- Manage communications between the research team and the IRB reviewer
- Issue exempt determinations and other decisions.
Researcher Roles & Responsibilities
Researchers at U-M are responsible for the ethical conduct of research with human participants. In compliance with federal regulations, state laws, and university policy, the investigator’s key responsibilities are to:
Apply for IRB approval or determination of exemption
before conducting any research with human participants or their personally identifiable data via U-M’s eResearch Regulatory Management system
Designate a faculty advisor on the IRB application for research conducted by students.
The faculty advisor shares responsibility with the student for the ethical conduct of the research (see Resources below).
Complete the required ethical and regulatory training for the conduct of human research
Conduct the research in accordance with the approved protocol
Submit amendments before initiating changes to the approved protocol
Submit scheduled continuing review reports to the IRB as required, and prior to the protocol expiration date
Report all unanticipated problems or serious adverse events involving risks to human participants as soon as possible
Manage research data carefully to protect subject confidentiality
FAQs
Federal regulations define a human subject as a “living individual about whom an investigator (whether professional or student) conducting research: (i) obtains information or biospecimens through intervention or interaction with an individual, and uses, studies, or analyzes the information or biospecimens; or (ii) obtains, uses, studies, analyzes, or generates identifiable private information or identifiable biospecimens.” ~ 45 CFR 46.102
- Data includes information or specimens collected from living subjects
- About whom indicates that the data must be personal information about an individual
- Intervention includes physical procedures, manipulations of the subject, or manipulations of a subject’s environment for research purposes (e.g., taking saliva or blood samples, havin a subject view a video)
- Interaction refers to communication (e.g., face-to-face, internet, mail, phone, etc.) between the investigator and the subject
- Identifiable means that the subject’s identity is or may be readily ascertained by the investigator or others, or is associated with the information or biospecimen.
- Private information includes information about behavior that occurs in a context in which the subject can reasonably expect that no observation or recording is taking place; or, information provided for specific purposes by the subject in which the subject can reasonably expect will not be made public (e.g., medical records, academic records, personal journals).
NOT human subjects research:
- Research using data from the 1880 Census because the data isn’t from living individuals
- Survey that collects data about an organization’s activities because the data isn’t about individuals
- Research using de-identified data sets because the data are not individually identifiable
If you can answer “yes” to the following questions, you need to submit an IRB application in eResearch for IRB review:
1. Is it research?
Research is a systematic investigation (including research development, testing, and evaluation) designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge ~ Federal definition, 45 CFR 46.102(l)
- Systematic investigation is an activity designed to test a hypothesis and to draw conclusions as described in a formal protocol that sets forth an objective and procedures to reach that objective.
- Activities such as the practice of public health, medicine, counseling, or social work are not research.
- Generalizable knowledge is information expressed in theories, principles, and statements of relationships that can be widely applied (e.g, by publishing findings or presenting findings at a professional meeting).
- Studies for internal management purposes (e.g., program evaluation, quality assurance, or quality improvement) are not research because the intent is not to provide generalizable knowledge but to apply findings only to the program or activity.
2. Does the research involve human subjects?
Human subjects research is a project that involves a living individual about whom the investigator (whether student or professional) (i) obtains information or biospecimens through interaction/intervention with the individual, and uses, studies, or analyzes the information or biospecimens; or (ii) obtains, uses studies, analyzes, or generates identifiable private information or indentifable biospecimens. ~ Federal definition 45 CFR 46.102(e)(1)
3. Is the university engaged in the conduct of the research?
The university is “engaged” when the research is conducted by U-M faculty, staff, trainee, or other agent acting in connection to their university responsibilities. See OHRP’s Guidance on Engagement of Institutions for more information and examples.
Caveats:
- Direct awards from federal sponsors that meet criteria #1 and #2 are always reviewed by a U-M IRB, whether or not the university is engaged in the research.
- If you answer “no” to any of these questions, you may have other obligations than IRB review. See the U-M HRPP Operations Manual Part 4, Section V for more information about regulated/non-regulated research.
References and Resources
Questions?
IRB Health Sciences and Behavioral Sciences
2800 Plymouth Road
Bldg. 520, Rm. 2144
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2800
Phone: (734) 936-0933
Fax: (734) 936-1852
[email protected]
Related Information
Minors in Research Policy Requirements (SPG 601.34) – effective 09/13/2021
Review the institutional requirements on the Children on Campus-Research webpage for study team members who interact with children participating in U-M human research studies, and for those who supervise study team members.
Questions? Email [email protected].
IRB-HSBS Quick Links
- IRB-HSBS Website Directory
Access resources and guidance by alphabetical topic listing from the IRB-HSBS Directory & Guidance webpage. - IRB-HSBS Submission Deadlines & Meeting Dates
Blue board meeting dates 2025
Maize board meeting dates 2025
IRBMED
IRBMED – reviews Medical School/Health System research; research involving Health System patients or clinical procedures; FDA-regulated research
IRB-HSBS (Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint campuses) and IRBMED (Michigan Medicine) follow the same genomic data sharing policy. Review U-M’s policy on ORSP’s website as well as the guidance found on the IRBMED website.