Committee on the Use of Human Subjects

What is IRB/CUHS?
 

Harvard University Area Institutional Review Board (IRB), also known as the Committee on the Use of Human Subjects (CUHS): The mission of the IRB is to assure that all participants are protected from any unnecessary risk when enrolled in a research study, that they can make an informed decision to participate, and when possible, that participants and/or society at large benefit from the knowledge gained from the research study. Please do not begin to gather any data until you have been issued a determination through CUHS. 

Steps to obtain IRB approval:

All undergraduates who are planning to conduct research that either involves interaction/intervention with individuals or their identifiable data must take part in the IRB’s Undergraduate Research Training Program (URTP). The URTP involves: 1) in-person training  (While online training is available, the in-person training is the preferred option. Whether or not your undergraduate research project requires IRB review, ethics training is a required part of the URTP); 2) various resources; and 3) a decision form to determine if your project requires IRB review. Training dates, resources, and links to the decision form may be found on the Undergraduate Research Training Program website. 

Note: The decision form is a survey that will provide students with a decision on whether or not their project may require IRB review. It’s also a mandatory step for undergrads who reach out to CUHS to determine if they need review.

The Department strongly encourages students to attend one of the group sessions offered instead of doing the online training (which takes more time). Human Subjects training seminars for undergrads are offered in late fall and in the spring. All sessions will be advertised through the CUHS on their URTP Portal. Complete training options may be found on the IRB’s Required Training Overview page, in the Undergraduate Researcher section. 

It would be most beneficial for you to have met with your faculty adviser to discuss your project prior to attending the IRB sessions, although it is not required. If you are well prepared for the IRB sessions, the staff may be able to answer specific questions about your protocol, time allowing.

Contact Information:

If you have questions about the URTP process after reviewing these materials, please contact the IRB to be connected to a staff member for assistance or to schedule an office hours appointment: 

Email: cuhs@harvard.edu
Phone: (617) 496-2847