The Office of the Vice President for Research (VPR) handles research infrastructure, policies and compliance at the University of Utah. The VPR office oversees the following research administration units:
Conflict of Interest
The Conflict of Interest (COI) office supports the university community in identifying and managing financial conflicts of interest in the three areas of: Research and Scholarly Activities; Procurement; and Intellectual Property. COI works with faculty, staff, postdoctoral fellows, students and others who are required to disclose external financial interests to the University for evaluation.
Environmental Health and Safety
Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) is a resource of highly-trained professionals dedicated to protecting the health and safety of the University of Utah community, facilities, and its environment through sound management, best practices, and compliance with regulatory requirements. EHS is comprised of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) in occupational safety, radiation safety, biological safety, environmental protection, and industrial hygienists.
Field Station: Bonderman
Bonderman Field Station is an outdoor laboratory for the sciences, humanities, social sciences and cultural studies, stimulating scholarship about a broad range of environmental topics associated with human and natural system interactions. Bonderman supports research, education, and other academic pursuits that aid in our understanding or appreciation of ecology, the environment, and human-environment interactions.
Foreign Influence
University of Utah is committed to the advancement of research and discovery on a global level, while managing the risk of potential undue foreign influence. The Office of Research Integrity and Compliance’s Foreign Influence unit works to educate, identify, and implement reporting requirements and best practices to prevent and combat undue foreign influence.
Human Research Protection Program/Institutional Review Board
The Human Research Protection Program/Institutional Review Board is charged with the review of all research projects that involve human subjects. The HRPP has been accredited by the Association for Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP) since 2007. The HRPP ensures projects comply with local, state, and federal laws, as well as the high ethical standards set forth in university policy. The HRPP prides itself on serving the university's research community by applying the highest standards of intellectual integrity and careful attention to federal research regulations.
Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee
The Office of Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) oversees and evaluates all aspects of the University of Utah’s animal care and use program. In compliance with the University of Utah and Animal Welfare Act, the Chair of the IACUC will accept materials from anyone regarding the performance of this institution regarding the care and use of animals. The University of Utah is registered with both USDA and PHS.
Institutional Biosafety Committee
The Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) is charged with review of all research projects involving hazardous or potentially hazardous biological materials. These include projects involving recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules, human or animal pathogens, acute biological toxins, and human derived blood, tissues and cell lines. The IBC works in conjunction with the Biosafety Office in the Office of Environmental Health and Safety to develop procedures to facilitate the safe conduct of biological research at the University of Utah in compliance with federal and local regulations.
Office of Comparative Medicine
The Office of Comparative Medicine (OCM) ensures the quality and safety of all animal-related research at the U, while managing and operating a complex academic program consisting of 13 different facilities that span the campus. Investigators are required to disclose any research that involves animal subjects to OCM. To date, OCM works with 600 approved protocols in 156,000 square feet of facilities with a staff of 85 technicians who operate and manage these facilities.
Office of Quality Compliance
The mission of the University of Utah’s Office of Quality Compliance (OQC) is to facilitate ethical, efficient and high-quality research, and protect overall data integrity. The OQC provides guidance and research resources to research teams and scholars across the University.
Office of Research Information Systems
The University of Utah Office of Research Information Systems (ORIS) manages the Information Systems of the Office of Research Integrity & Compliance (ORIC). ORIC is a complex biomedical and social behavioral enterprise with nearly 5,000 active studies. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) is comprised of seven review panels with over 100 members that meet up to three times per week in order to conduct thorough and timely reviews.
Office of Sponsored Projects
The Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) is responsible for the effective and timely handling of research proposals. OSP prepares, interprets, negotiates, and executes agreements on behalf of the University of Utah for projects funded by federal and state agencies, foundations, and other public and private sources. OSP is focused on enhancing research by providing service and support to administration, faculty, and staff in their efforts to secure and manage external funding for university activities.
Pre-Award Office
The mission of the Pre-Award Office is to assist investigators with the preparation and submission of applications for extramural funding. Some of the services offered by the Pre-Award Team are researching the funding opportunity, starting and managing the application, providing instructions and checklists of requirements for the opportunity, reviewing all submission documents, assistance with budget preparation, and liaising with the Office of Sponsored Projects to submit the application.
Research Education
Research Education provides professional development and training opportunities for all faculty, staff, postdoctoral scholars, students and members of the university research community. Research Education offers free training opportunities designed to support, develop and maintain a standardized body of knowledge and best practice methodology for all research personnel on campus. Some classes include Case Studies in Responsible Conduct of Research, Investigator Orientation for Pre-Award Workshop, Rigor, Transparency and Reproducibility in Research, and more.
Research Integrity & Compliance
The Office of Research Integrity & Compliance is responsible for providing oversight to the university's Institutional Review Board (IRB), the University's Conflict-of-Interest policy, evaluations of allegations of Research Misconduct, Research Education and Training, Resource for Genetic and Epidemiologic Research (RGE), and the Institutional Biosafety Committee.
Research Participant Advocacy
The Office of Research Participant Advocacy (RPA) was established to serve as a voice for research participants. Our office is dedicated to supporting volunteers in research and those considering taking take part in it. Our goal is to provide volunteers an additional resource to enhance their research participation experience.
Resource for Genetic and Epidemiologic Research (RGE)
The Utah Resource for Genetic and Epidemiologic Research (RGE) was established by Executive Order of the Governor of the State of Utah on July 14, 1982, as "a data resource for the collection, storage, study, and dissemination of medical and related information" for "the purpose of reducing morbidity or mortality, or for the purpose of evaluating and improving the quality of hospital and medical care." The University of Utah administers RGE to facilitate appropriate access and responsible use of data by research and public health projects.