Join us on Thursday, May 15th from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. for a hands-on workshop focusing on understanding the IRB Reliance Mechanisms.

Researchers, faculty and students are invited to learn more about our streamlined reliance processes for Single IRB (sIRB) and Administrative Review submissions to the IRB.

Please feel free to share this workshop with colleagues who may be interested!

If you have any questions, please contact the IRB Reliance Team at IRBRelianceTeam@research.rutgers.edu.

HRPP Guidance for Those who Receive a Stop Work Order from a Federal Agency

These guidelines are intended to assist investigators who may or have received a directive from a federal funding agency to stop, pause, or otherwise prematurely end a human research study.

• Send any Stop-Work order questions to federal-tracking@rutgers.edu with copy to your assigned RSP Grant Specialist, and you will receive a response with guidance. 
• Notify the Rutgers HRPP/IRB (if the IRB of Record is an external IRB, notify both the external IRB and the Rutgers IRB Office):
• IRBOffice@research.rutgers.edu and
• HRPP/IRB Director, Dr. Swapnali Chaudhari chaudhsw@research.rutgers.edu

As a general reminder, researchers should not sign any documents related to sponsored awards. There are established review processes to ensure proper protection of the university and your research.

Visit our Frequently Asked Questions page for information about what is known, what the Office for Research is working to understand better, and how we move forward together.

Federal Stop Work Order for SMART IRB

On April 14, 2025, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a Stop Work Order to Harvard University regarding the SMART IRB federal funding contract. The order required an immediate cessation of all federally funded work on SMART IRB, but did not provide a reason or explanation. 

Despite this, Harvard University is continuing its support of SMART IRB at this time. Harvard Medical School staff will continue to provide support, though all of their work on SMART IRB is now voluntary. The initiative remains committed to advancing collaborative research, supporting over 1,350 institutions and 12,000 researchers nationwide. 

What this means for you:

• The SMART IRB Agreement V 3.0 remains operative, allowing participating institutions, such as Rutgers University, to continue using it to activate new joinder agreements.
• Existing arrangements under the prior Legacy Agreements remain valid.
• Help Desk tickets and other tasks will continue to be addressed by SMART IRB ambassadors and team members. Please note, during this time, any work completed by them on SMART IRB is voluntary. Please be considerate of their time and efforts.

If you have any questions, please contact the IRB Reliance Team at IRBRelianceTeam@research.rutgers.edu.

Celebrating the Success of Our IRB Open Office Hours

We are thrilled to share the outstanding feedback from our recent survey on the Open Office Hours initiative. This program, designed to provide timely and effective support to our research community, has received overwhelmingly positive responses, validating the hard work and dedication of our team.

Diverse Participation

Our office hours have attracted a diverse group of attendees, including faculty, staff, study coordinators, and students. The survey revealed that 33% of participants were faculty members, 27% were staff, 13% were study coordinators, and 23% were students. This diversity underscores the broad appeal and accessibility of our services. 

Clear and Relevant Guidance

Our team’s commitment to providing clear, concise, and relevant guidance was highly praised. An impressive 81% of respondents found the feedback extremely helpful, and 19% rated it as very helpful. This affirmation of our expertise and dedication is a testament to the quality of support we offer.

The survey also indicated that 69% of attendees felt extremely confident in applying the feedback and recommendations provided during office hours to their forthcoming IRB submissions. This confidence is crucial for the success of their research projects and reflects the practical value of our consultations.

An overwhelming percent of respondents would recommend our office hours to their peers, further validating the impact of our services. Comments such as "Office hours are extremely helpful!" and "I have already recommended your services to others" highlight the positive influence we have on the research community. We are grateful for the positive feedback and the opportunity to support our research community. Our team remains committed to providing exceptional service and fostering an environment where researchers feel confident and supported.

Thank you for your continued trust and participation in our open office hours.

Virtual Institutional Review Board (IRB) Office Hours

DRAFT (Document Revision And Feedback Team) Services hosts IRB Office Hours weekly.

When:

• Tuesdays, 1 – 1:30 p.m. with IRB Reliance Team

• Thursdays, 10 – 10:30 a.m.

Where:

Office Hours Zoom Link

Passcode: 133269

More information on what to expect during Virtual IRB Office Hours.

The Rutgers IRB is dedicated to finding innovative ways to support our researchers. We have a whole suite of Interactive Tools at your disposal.

Check out all of our Interactive IRB Tools here.

Still getting acquainted with the eIRB+ platform? We have Quick Guide Resources available for all eIRB+ applications to provide you with an illustrative step-by-step walkthrough of the eIRB+ applications.

New eIRB+ HelpBot Launched

The Research HelpBot, developed by the Office for Research Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Research IT teams, will provide real-time resources and responses to researchers with guidance to facilitate IRB submissions and compliance-related matters.

It is now directly available through the eIRB+ application via NetID login. 

Research HelpBot provides:   

• Versatile functionality by including chat search and word-based interactions. 
• A user-friendly interface with easy access to information and resources. 
• A time-saving tool with immediate access to crucial information. 
• An interface to minimize errors during the submission process. 

Watch Research HelpBot Tutorial Video

Attending a virtual eIRB+ Workshop to learn more about the updates to our submission platform and business processes. The eIRB+ Workshop session offers a comprehensive walkthrough of updated features, step-by-step application tutorials, and provides an opportunity to address any questions you may have.

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