Submission Procedures

Any member of the faculty, staff, or student body who proposes to engage in any research activity involving the use of human subjects at the University of Texas at El Paso (see FAQ) must create and submit projects electronically in the IRBNet system for review by the Institutional Review Board. Forms may be downloaded from the IRB forms web page or the online forms library in the IRBNet).

Basic Review Process

Guidance on how to submit to the UTEP IRB

Guidance on how to submit an Amendment or Continuation Request

Submit all the documentation with the application:

The following items are required

• A Completed IRB Proposal ( proposal template) or go to forms for other templates.
• Faculty- Although your Department Chair’s electronic signature is not required, it is suggested that you share the study with your Chair for information purposes when you submit your new study for review.
• Students- It is required to share the submission with your Advisor and have them electronically sign the submission.
• Training Verification to meet the University requirements for training of researchers in the protection of human subjects in research (CITI);
• An informed consent document or study information sheet. Justific­ation for Waiver of Informed Consent or Waiver of Documentation of Consent must be included in the study protocol application.
• Relevant study instruments (questionnaires, surveys, interview questions, etc);
• Site Approval Letters for extramural research (if applicable)
• Recruitment materials (flyers, posters, web pages, e-mail messages, etc)

• One complete copy of the grant application, and the identification number assigned to it by the Office of Research and Sponsored Projects.

• All submissions to the IRB are via IRBNet.org
• Allow at least 2-8 weeks for your expedited or full committee review of new, renewal, or revision materials
  • NOTE: This timeframe may fluctuate if revisions or additional information are requested.
• If your project includes vulnerable populations and/or is higher than minimal risk, this may require full committee review. If you anticipate that your application will require full board review, please observe the deadlines below.

• An application accepted by the published deadline will generally be assigned to the corresponding meeting, however, there may be circumstances when this is not possible, in which case it will be assigned to the next available committee meeting.  Please be advised that receipt by submission deadline does not guarantee review at the corresponding meeting.

• *Meeting Date subject to change due to conflict of availability.

Exemption Request Application

Under federal regulations, certain types of minimal risk research are exempt from review unless the institution chooses to review it.

Under UTEP policy, ALL research involving human participants must be reviewed and receive a determination prior to commencement of the research, including research that falls into one of the allowed federal exempt categories. To ease compliance and university burdens while providing adequate protection of research subjects. Please allow at least 7-14 working days for an exemption review. NOTE: This timeframe may fluctuate if revisions or additional information.

If it is determined that the submission does not meet any of the allowable categories, the submission will be referred to the appropriate review level.

Investigators planning to conduct exempt research must submit the Study Protocol Application and all required documents through IRBNet to view by our office staff prior to beginning any research. The research cannot be conducted until the exemption is granted and a letter of determination has been issued to the principal investigator.

Federal regulations do not require signed informed consent for exempt research projects. However, subjects should be given information regarding the research project whenever possible. This can be accomplished through the use of a written Study Information Sheet(SIS) or other appropriate methods may be developed.

**Annual review is not required for exempt research, but investigators are required to notify the Human Subjects Office of any change prior to implementation of the project through an Amendment, and when the project is completed.

If you have any questions or concerns about these or any IRB-related processes, please contact the IRB Administrator at (915) 747-6590 or at irb.orsp@utep.edu.