The University’s IRB, or Institutional Review Board, is a
federally mandated committee of faculty, administrators, medical
doctors and community representatives, which is charged to review
and approve all research protocols involving humans as participants
and created by anyone affiliated with St. John’s. The IRB exercises
its responsibility to protect the rights and welfare of human
participants in various categories of research in any way related
to the institution. The IRB has authority over approval,
modification, ongoing review, verification of changes or suspension
or termination of approval of research involving human
participants, including St. John’s students.
What is the primary function of the
Institutional Review Board (IRB)?
The major function of the IRB at St. John’s University is to
provide protection for the rights and welfare of any human
participants involved in research. The Board reviews in advance all
research proposals from within the University that proposes to
involve people as participants. The IRB is guided by ethical
principles laid out in the Belmont Report with specific reference
to 45 CFR 46, and by the principle of respect for human persons
taught by the Catholic Church. The St. John’s University Senate has
also created specific conditions for recruiting St. John’s students
as research participants.
Who should be aware of the IRB
process?
All faculty, students and administrators involved in research
connected to St. John’s University should be aware of the IRB
procedures and elements of informed consent which must be observed
when doing any research that uses people as participants.
What is the Review Process
like?
Applications for formal approval of research can be obtained on the
St. John’s University website. This application is to be filled out
and sent to the IRB in Newman Hall 108. All applications must have
the appropriate signatures (i.e. Principal Investigator, Faculty
Supervisor, Department Chair and Dean) before the review process
can begin. Researchers can refer to the “Guidelines for Protocol
Submission” for assistance in the application process.
St. John’s University’s IRB generally holds its monthly Board
meetings on the first Monday of each month. After an initial
review, the Chair or individual members of the IRB can approve
through expedited review or take the protocol to the monthly Board
meeting to discuss the application with the other members of the
Board. The Board members discuss and vote on approval of the
protocol. An application can also be found exempt from review under
certain specific conditions, but only the IRB can make this
determination of exemption. If the Board does not approve the
application, the applicant is informed of the revisions that are
needed in order for the application to be approved.
Certification Training
The St. John’s University IRB also now requires all
individuals to be certified in working with human participants.
Certification can be obtained online through the National Institute
of Health (NIH) website http://phrp.nihtraining.com/users/login.php
Outside Inquiries
At times, the University receives informal inquires from
outside sources about doing surveys with our students. Any such
request received by anyone should be cleared with the IRB. These
informal inquires can be directed to the Chair of the IRB, Dr. Jay
Zimmerman at (718) 990-5500.
Attention to issues of informed consent and human dignity, which
the procedures of the IRB are intended to stimulate and encourage,
is an important aspect of the St. John’s mission to educate for
ethically empowered decision-making. The members of the IRB want to
work with every sector of the St. John’s community to promote that
mission.
IRB Members:
Dr. Jay Zimmerman, IRB Chair
Dr. Marie Nitopi, IRB Coordinator
Dr. Robert Eschenauer
Dr. Louis Gleckel
Mrs. Thea Graves-Pellman
Dr. Peggy Jacobson
Dr. Samuel Ortiz
Dr. Sandra Reznik
Dr. Miguel Roig
Dr. Paul Twist
Dr. Christopher Vogt