Compliance

Getting Approval for Research Involving Humans, Animals, Biosafety, Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Conflicts of Interest

The conduct of research involving humans, animals, unmanned aircraft systems, biosafety and managing conflicts of interest is highly regulated and raises a number of ethical questions. Princeton University is committed to upholding rigorous compliance and ethical standards while considering the care and welfare of all living subjects in the planning, review, approval, and implementation of proposed research. The Office of Research Integrity and Assurance (RIA) oversees the Institutional Review Board (IRB), Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) and the Conflict of Interest (COI) in Research Panel.  Independently, each committee is responsible for ensuring the ethical conduct of research through its review process.

Before You Embark on the Review Process

As subject matter experts, RIA administrators will help guide you through the review process. The office's website provides practical information involving:

  • Your responsibilities and regulatory obligations
  • Policies and guidelines
  • Whether or not a research application, protocol or registration is required
  • Which form(s) you would need to complete
  • Timelines for important committee meeting dates and deadlines for submission materials
  • Training materials

Please visit the IRB, IACUC, Unmanned Aircraft Systems-Based Research, IBC, and COI pages for a list of important links to each committee.

Plan Ahead, Take a Workshop

Navigating the approval process may seem daunting at first. Thankfully, your faculty adviser and the knowledgeable RIA administrators can help you along the way. To avoid delays in starting your research, please plan ahead, discuss your plans with your adviser early and reach out to the RIA office for important deadlines.  The RIA office also offers a number of educational opportunities such as our newly developed IRB Informed Consent workshop to help you get started with the approval process, as well as advice on how to prepare your application and related documents for IRB review.  We encourage you to consult the Princeton Undergraduate Research Calendar and RIA’s committee specific training websites to learn about upcoming offerings.