Requirements for Human Research

Federal and other laws as well as FSU policy require advance OHSP and/or IRB review of all human research conducted by any FSU employee or agent (e.g., faculty, staff, students, contractors, volunteers) before the research may begin. Researchers are required to submit their studies for review using the FSU Research Administration and Management Portal (RAMP) Institution Review Board (IRB) module (RAMP IRB). An explanation of the review process is found on our Human Research Review page.

Studies involving non-FSU institutions may require those institutions' reviews. BEFORE submitting your studies in RAMP IRB, you must contact those institutions to ascertain their review requirements, and plan accordingly. For clinical collaborations with non-FSU partners, click here for more information. 

About the Institutional Review Board (IRB)

The FSU IRB is a committee composed of scientists, non-scientists and unaffiliated (non-FSU) members that review proposed human research to ensure the protection of human subjects' rights and welfare. The FSU IRB has authority to approve, require modifications in (to secure approval), or disapprove all research activities covered by federal law and FSU policy. Research that has been approved by an IRB may be subject to further review and approval or disapproval by FSU officials; however, these officials may not approve of research that is disapproved by the IRB. The FSU IRB is registered with the U.S. government, and is a participating SmartIRB institution for standardizing reviews and reducing unnecessary duplicate reviews and documentation for multi-site studies.

About the Office for Human Subjects Protection (OHSP)

OHSP, under the FSU Office of Research, supports the IRB and maintains regulatory records; provides subject matter expertise and related consultations; conducts pre-IRB and other regulatory reviews that do not require IRB oversight as well as post-approval monitoring; and carries out human research-related authorities, responsibilities and functions.

FSU’s Assurance agreement with the federal government and FSU policy 7-IRB-0 require that all human research conducted by any FSU employee or agent be reviewed by the OHSP and/or IRB, regardless of funding source or sponsorship.

Refer to this engagement guidance and the HRP-311 Worksheet Engagement Determination form in RAMP IRB, under the IRB, Library and Worksheets tabs, available here, to see how we determine whether research is subject to FSU's Assurance and FSU Policy 7-IRB-0 and requires certification of IRB approval. Regardless of whether FSU is engaged in research for purposes of IRB certification, FSU researchers are required to submit their human research studies for review.