A few updates from the IRB Office as we start the Spring 2022 Semester:
1) AAHRPP: This month the UMD Human Research Protection Program attained Full AAHRPP Re-Accreditation. A big thank you to all the participated in the Site Visit last summer! Also, a big thank you to the UMD Research Community for working together with the IRB Office every day to advance the research mission of UMD!
2) New Staff: We are very excited to introduce two new members of our Research Compliance Team! Samantha (Sam) Martocci and Vidhi Rami have recently joined the IRB Office as Research Compliance Analysts and will be reviewing new incoming applications, providing investigator support, and supporting IRB Committee functions.
3) COVID Guidance Reminder: A notice was sent from the Office of the VPR last week reminding everyone to continue following the current University guidance regarding human subject research, which can be found at the top of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) webpage.
Please note there are no changes to the posted guidelines on human subject research. Researchers should remember to adhere to them, as well as the most recent COVID-19 campus guidelines, which are based on guidance from Prince George’s County, the State of Maryland, and the Centers for Disease Contract and Prevention (CDC).
Researchers conducting clinical research and other human subject research on campus must continue to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status, unless they are alone in their workspace. There is no density requirement, but researchers should practice physical distancing where possible. In addition, masks must be worn by all during in-person human subject research activities when possible.
In the event that there are positive COVID-19 cases in a research lab, please refer to the quarantine and isolation guidelines provided by the University Health Center’s HEAL Line.
Please email irb@umd.edu with any questions.