Changes for Fall '07

Following is an outline of Office for the Protection of Human and Animal Subjects changes for fall.

CITI Research Training Course Offered

Starting this fall, researchers will be able to take the CITI (Collaborative Integrative Training Initiative) research training course as evidence of training in human subjects research ethics. The animal subjects research training course is also available at the CITI site.

A certificate, valid for 3 years, will be issued on completion of the CITI courses. (An up-to-date NIH course completion certificate is still acceptable as proof of human subjects research training.)

Researchers working with human subjects must take either the biomedical or the social/behavioral/educational module of the CITI course. Each module contains 7 required sections and 3 electives needed to complete the course, along with optional sections for special interests. Elective sections include HIPAA, international research, and internet research, among others. Instructors may demo the course from the home page.

The lab animals course and the human subjects courses will be available on September 17, 2007. To register for the courses go to http://www.citiprogram.org/. Go directly to “New Users Register Here.” You will choose either the human or animal courses in the process of registration.

Occupational Health Program in Place

Starting this fall, SFSU will implement its Occupational Health Program for Individuals with Animal Contact as required by OLAW (the federal Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare).

The SFSU UACUC has contracted with Jordan Rinker, M.D., M.P.H. to provide their occupational health assessment for animal handlers. Dr. Rinker is Board Certified in Preventive Medicine and Internal Medicine and is a California State licensed Qualified Medical Evaluator in Internal and Occupational Medicine. He provides occupational health training and assessment for a variety of institutions in the Bay Area, and has extensive experience in occupational health consultation for laboratory animal handlers.

Dr. Rinker will serve as a consultant to SFSU in matters of occupational health and safety, and will provide training to laboratory animal handlers.

Graduate Studies Faculty Site: More Accessible

Do you need to know:

• what’s expected of a graduate advisor?
• graduation paperwork deadlines?
• the name of a departmental graduate coordinator?
• how to calculate a student’s GPA?

The Grad Studies office has simplified access to the graduate web portal at http://www.sfsu.edu/~gradstdy/login.htm

Click on the red “Log In” button at the top of this page, and enter your email address (without the @sfsu.edu) and the password grad.

Prisoner Advocate

Jason Bell, an SFSU alum (Sociology, 06), current MA student and director of Project Rebound, will serve as the prisoner advocate for the SFSU IRBs again this year. Jason reviews research protocols involving prisoners from the standpoint of the prisoners’ welfare and rights.

Researcher Outreach: Closer Collaboration with Faculty Affairs

In close collaboration with Dr. Pamela Vaughn, Associate Dean for the Center for Teaching and Faculty Development, the Office for the Protection of Human and Animal Subjects worked with scholars receiving funding from the Office of Faculty Affairs this spring and summer. Our office proactively contacted researchers to help them determine if IRB or UACUC review was needed for their projects involving human or animal subjects.

In addition, Office Coordinator Dr. Linda Blackwood spoke at the New Faculty Orientation this year on the IRB and UACUC processes at SFSU.

Office Switches to Filemaker Pro database

The IRB office is working with a former IRB administrator turned database developer to design a more user-friendly database to eliminate repetitive tasks and ensure more accurate records.

Filemaker Pro will automatically generate approval letters, expiration notices and other researcher correspondence, and document email messages.

Help for Harried Researchers

IRB staff members are available for consultation with faculty researchers prior to protocol submission and review. We can help you:

• Get started on the process
• Write approvable protocols
• Edit consent forms
• Troubleshoot “hot spots” you may not have noticed in your study design

Bring your final draft to our office, or we can come to yours. Phone 338-1093 or email protocol@sfsu.edu for an appointment with a qualified staff member.

The best place to start is with our website, www.sfsu.edu/~protocol. Staff will also work with student researchers referred by advisors.

Last Updated: November 2007