Student Initiated Research Under Faculty Supervision

If a faculty member is serving as a direct supervisor for a student-initiated human subject research project, it is imperative that faculty and students adhere to the following when completing and submitting an IRB application.

1. All PIs, including student researchers and their supervisors, who are recruiting individuals from vulnerable populations must complete additional CITI training. (This is in addition to the Basic Human Subjects Research course required for all PIs.)
2. IMPORTANT: Please see the student guide, "What to Prepare Before the Application" (button, below) for advice on questions that should be addressed and materials that should be constructed BEFORE the application is started. 
3. Undergraduate researchers are not permitted to conduct research that is more than minimal risk and/or requires a full review.
4. Faculty and students are strongly encouraged to review the Belmont Report which summarizes basic ethical principles and guidelines identified by the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research.
5. Materials on the IRB website, including the IRB handbook, templates, and a Cayuse IRB user guide will be helpful in completing the application.
6. A faculty supervisor is responsible for reviewing a student-led application before it is submitted to the IRB.  In Cayuse IRB, the supervisor (PI) and the student (Primary Contact) can jointly edit the submission. When it is deemed ready to submit to the IRB, the PI will receive a request to certify that the application has been reviewed, is complete, and is accurate. (Note: even if advanced for certification, the PI can "Return" the application for more joint editing if necessary prior to advancing to the IRB.)
7. The approval of IRB projects will be sent via email to the listed PI and Primary Contact. After the application has been reviewed and approved, it is the responsibility of the PI and Primary Contact to inform the other Co-PIs of the IRB decision.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to the IRB Chair (irb@siena.edu) for guidance!