IRB Service

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) is responsible for the review and approval of all research involving human subjects conducted under its auspices. The IRB is charged with:

• Protecting the rights and welfare of human research subjects recruited to participate in research activities
• Ensuring compliance with applicable federal regulations and
• Reviewing all research projects involving human subjects that: are conducted at institutional facilities or property; are sponsored by the institution; are conducted by or under the direction of any employees or agents of the institution in connection with their institutional responsibilities; or involve the use of the institution’s non-public information to identify or contact human research subjects or prospective subjects.

An IRB consists of at least five members of varying backgrounds. IRB members should have the professional experience to provide appropriate scientific and ethical review. An IRB must have at least one scientist member and at least one member whose primary concerns are nonscientific. Additionally, there must be one member who is not otherwise affiliated with the institution (a community representative). The IRB should strive for appropriate representation in gender and racial and cultural heritage as well.

Before an investigator can receive federal funds to conduct a research project, the protocol (research procedures) is reviewed by the IRB. The researcher provides the IRB with all the necessary materials to conduct their review including a full description of the proposed project, materials the subjects will use (surveys, questionnaires, tests, etc.), a description of the manner in which subjects will be recruited and provide consent to participate in the project (including a consent form), and how the subjects' confidentiality will be maintained.

The IRB examines all these materials to determine if the research participants are adequately protected. The IRB’s consideration is based primarily on weighing the risks and benefits of the research. Risks may be physical, psychological, social, or economic. Benefits include both those to the individual research participant and to society as a whole. The IRB also considers the population being studied — Does it require additional protections? Would this population assess the risks and benefits differently?

IRB members are expected to review the protocol submission materials provided a week in advance of the IRB meeting date, be prepared to discuss the protocol at the meeting, and apply the regulations and ethical considerations in their review to ensure the rights and welfare of research participants are protected.

Yes. You will be required to complete an online training course through CITI at no cost to you that will provide an overview of the regulations and ethics involved in human subjects research and your role as an IRB member.

Additionally, new members are paired with more experienced IRB members to provide one-on-one mentoring in the onboarding process.

IRB meetings are generally held on the first Friday of every month, with holidays taken into account.

Meetings begin at 1 pm and generally last till 3 pm.

A yearly calendar is published on our website.

Full board members have an alternate member who can substitute for any meeting the member may need to miss due to other commitments.

Members are expected to attend at least 70% of the IRB meetings.

Yes. We highly encourage you to attend a meeting as a guest as part of our member onboarding process. You will not be assigned protocols to review or vote at this time. This is an opportunity to  familiarize yourself with the IRB and meeting format in general.

Please email us at irb@tamucc.edu. Our staff will answer any questions you may have about serving and send you an onboarding checklist. They will guide you through the onboarding checklist.