Touro College’s Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects #1 (IRB #1) is an administrative body established to protect the rights and welfare of human research subjects recruited to participate in research activities conducted under the auspices of the College.  IRB #1 is registered with the federal Office of Human Research Protections (OHRP) and received approval of its Federal Wide Assurance (FWA) on April 30, 2008.

The focus of review is on behavioral and social science research.  Academic programs served by the IRB #1 include Touro’s Graduate Schools of Education, Psychology, Business, Social Work, Information Technology and Jewish Studies, as well as Touro’s Undergraduate Division and the Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center.

Research involving human subjects for which a principal investigator needs approval from the IRB #1 generally falls into three types of activity:  basic and applied research, whether or not it is externally funded, that is conducted by faculty and other staff members eligible to serve as principal investigators under College policy; doctoral dissertation and masters thesis research conducted by graduate students, whose faculty advisor must serve as a co-principal investigator on the project; and, research projects undertaken by students as a course requirement.  Human subjects include not only non-Touro populations, but also would include use of Touro students or staff, for example when a faculty member seeks to conduct research with students enrolled in a course.

The IRB #1 has the authority to approve, require modifications to, or disapprove all research activities that fall within its jurisdiction as specified by both federal regulations and College policy.  Such research activities include those conducted by faculty investigators as well as by students.  The IRB #1 reports to the Human Protections Administrator of the College.  Support functions for the IRB #1 are provided by the staff of the Lander Center for Educational Research.