View this in your browser, here.
Catch the latest news, tips and advice that supports you and
 Florida Atlantic University in building a culture of research compliance.
Unit Personnel Listing

The website has been updated to indicate the appropriate contact person(s) for specific areas and committees within the Research Integrity unit (RI).
Research Re-Engagement FAQ’s 

The FAQ’s have been updated on the Division of Research re-engagement page with COVID-19 considerations. To view the Research Integrity updates, click here, and visit our Winter Beacon edition for additional details that are presently applicable.
New IBC Policies

Several policies have recently been approved by the committee and are available on the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) web page:
 
For an overview of requirements and procedures for IBC registration, see the Biosafety Review Process (10.12.03) and Training (10.12.04). Some projects (including those involving recombinant or synthetic DNA) will require more training and a more in-depth review process.
 
Note: Projects involving the use of human cell lines or transgenic animals should be registered with the IBC, and IBC registration is required regardless of the project funding source.
IRB Reliance Agreements for Multi-site Research

The goal of an Institutional Review Board (IRB) reliance agreement or IRB authorization agreement (IAA) is to enhance and streamline the IRB review process in the context of multi-site research. The use of a single IRB of record (sIRB) for institutions that are conducting the same protocol will help streamline the IRB review process by eliminating the unnecessary repetition of those reviews across sites. If you have a collaborative project with multiple institutions, the lead institution could serve as the single IRB of record and FAU's IRB will need to acknowledge that you, as an FAU researcher, will be protected. A guidance document for processing an IRB reliance agreement is available in the IRB Net “Forms and Templates.” 
 
Boating Manual

FAU’s new boating manual has been approved. Much gratitude to the Diving and Boating Safety officers Lizzie McNamee and Jimmy Nelson for spearheading the efforts and to the Diving and Boating Board for their assistance in review and approval. For more information, visit the Diving and Boating page.
IACUC Updates
 
All-hands Researcher Meeting
A virtual all-hands animal researchers end-of-year update meeting was held on Dec. 15. Updates were presented from Tim Theisen, Ph.D., chair, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC); Kristen Ware, Ph.D., and Ken Salleng, DVM, director of veterinary care, Comparative Medicine.
 
To learn more about the content of the meeting, click here.
AAALAC Re-accreditation

The Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) reaccreditation process is underway. Accredited animal care and use programs are reviewed at three-year intervals by the association to maintain accreditation. FAU's animal care and use program received AAALAC accreditation in June of 2018 and our program is due for reaccreditation this year. FAU’s program description is due to AAALAC April 1 and a site visit will occur this summer.
IACUC FAQs

RI has developed frequently asked questions to address commonly asked questions regarding IACUC processes. To access the page, please click here.
IACUC Trainings

To adhere to compliance from FAU, the state and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention safety guidelines, all in-person and hands-on training will continue to resume when needed. Principal investigators must submit justification requests for hands-on trainings and facilities orientations to the IACUC office Kristen Ware for review and approval.
Research personnel will be required to wear an N95 respirator to attend the in-person training session. Once the request for hands-on trainings have been approved, research personnel must complete the additional steps noted below prior to scheduling any in-person training session.
  • Complete the Respiratory Protection Training via Skillsoft entitled “Respiratory Protection 2.0”. The link to enroll in the training is located on the Environmental Health and Safety website and can be found here.

  • Contact Henry Hutchinson (hutchins@fau.edu) for medical clearance and fit testing instructions.

  • To be effective, the respirators must be fitted. Sizing guidance is as follows: men typically wear medium or regular, and about 50% of women wear small and 50% wear medium.

  • Obtain medical clearance from the medical clearance form for respiratory protection from Henry Hutchinson. This form must be filled out and submitted for review and approval by Concentra, FAU’s occupational health provider. Please note, this is not the same form as the forms submitted for enrollment into the occupational health program which are attached to this email.

  • Fit testing (with Henry Hutchinson).
IACUC Meeting Dates and Application Deadlines
 
IACUC protocol applications and amendments to IACUC protocols using United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) pain category D and E procedures require full committee review and must be submitted to the IACUC office by the application deadline for consideration at the monthly meeting. Please note, the application deadline is two weeks prior to the scheduled IACUC meeting date. All other applications using USDA pain category B and C procedures are eligible for the designated member review process and may be submitted to the IACUC office at any time. To view this year’s monthly IACUC meeting dates and application deadlines, please click here.
Training Calendar & Office Hours

Monthly training is available for researchers working with human or animal subjects. Check out the training calendars to register now. We invite you to set a virtual appointment for IRB or IACUC related questions – even before submitting your protocol – by contacting researchintegrity@fau.edu.
IRB Virtual
Training Workshop & Education

We recommend human subject researchers attend the IRB 101 workshop to gain familiarity with the IRBNet submission portal as well as the steps and documents needed to complete a submission. Register by clicking the IRB training calendar icon.
 
IRB Education Course on Canvas is a learning community which serves as a virtual assistance and training platform, allowing you to get answers you need any time, from any device, and to connect with Human Research Protections Program staff or other researchers.
IACUC Virtual
Training Workshop

The required Ethical Use of Animals, IACUC function and the 3R's workshop is available in virtual format. Click the IACUC training calendar icon to register for an upcoming training date.
 
Contact Dana Mulvaney for ethics training workshops cancellations. Notifications must be submitted at least 24 hours before training.
Check Out the Beacon Online
The archived editions of The Beacon can be found online here. 
Please share with colleagues or use as references to our tips and hints!
If you have any questions, please contact us at researchintegrity@fau.edu or Elisa Gaucher.