Human Subjects Research (IRB):
Starting in January 2025, the IRBs at both the main campus and the medical campus (Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at ODU) implemented a process where human subject research studies will be assigned to the appropriate IRBs based on the type of study an investigator will be conducting. The assignment will be regardless of which campus the research will be conducted at or the faculty appointment of the researchers.
IRBS AND CATEGORIES TO BE REVIEWED
• The Social and Behavioral IRB (main campus) will review studies that meet the attached list of Social/Behavioral categories (with two exceptions noted)
• Social/Behavioral studies that meet the exempt criteria should be submitted to “Old Dominion University Soc & Behav Human Subjects Research Exempt Committee using IRBNet”
• The Biomedical/Clinical IRBs (medical campus) will review studies that fall into the Biomedical/Clinical categories.
EXCEPTIONS
• Studies that involve Sentara Health (patients, data, facility or investigators) must be submitted to the Biomedical/Clinical (medical campus) IRB regardless of whether it is Social/Behavioral or Biomedical/Clinical.
• Social/Behavioral studies that involve the use of drugs, devices, biologics, radiation and radiolabeled tracers, and any invasive procedures will be classified as Biomedical.
Attached are lists of types of Social/Behavioral studies and Biomedical/Clinical studies. Each campus currently uses different software for submission, so if you are unsure about which campus IRB to submit to, please contact one of the IRB offices to discuss. Social/Behavioral IRB: irb@odu.edu or Biomedical/Clinical IRB: VHS-IRB@odu.edu (after March 10, 2025) or 757-446-8423.
IACUC:
Both the main and medical campuses will maintain their respective IACUC committees. Submission of protocols to which committee is dependent on where the research will be conducted. Those utilizing the main campus vivarium and the respective satellite facilities or conducting field studies will submit protocols to the main campus IACUC; those conducting research at the medical campus vivarium and the respective satellite facilities will submit to the medical campus IACUC. The assignment of the IACUC is therefore based on which campus location the research will be conducted at and irrespective of the faculty appointment of the researchers. For the studies involving both campuses, the protocols must be submitted to main campus and VHS IACUCs.
Biosafety/Recombinant DNA (IBC)
Both the main and medical campuses will maintain their respective IBC committees. Submission of protocols to which committee is dependent on where the research will be conducted. Those utilizing laboratory space on the main campus will submit to the main campus IBC; those conducting research at the medical campus will submit to the medical campus IBC. The assignment of the IBC is therefore based on which campus location the research will be conducted at and irrespective of the faculty appointment of the researchers. A project involving transferring animals and/or biological materials between campuses, the transport details shall be documented in the PI’s home-campus IBC protocol. If a single PI wishes to conduct a project at both campuses, protocols are required to be submitted for both main campus and VHS IBCs for approval.