HRPP Announcements: New Verification Step in VIRBs + Winter Break Closure
This week the HRPP has two announcements: The purpose of this step is to ensure that submissions include all documents required for IRB review and have completed all necessary ancillary reviews. Checking that your application is complete–with CVs, CITI certificates, Conflict of Interest reviews, and all study materials–allows the IRB to produce higher-quality pre-reviews, ask […]
Research Ethics Highlight: Clarifying Consent
The Belmont Report (1979) chose the principles of as essential for ethical human subjects research. Respect for persons is often broken down into respect for autonomy and protection of vulnerable populations. Both autonomy and protection have largely been operationalized through the informed consent process. Ethics discussions1,2,3 of informed consent have highlighted three major requirements for […]
HRPP Toolkit Update
Effective September 25, 2026, the HRPP is updating the suite of Toolkit documents. Going forward, it is anticipated that these documents will be updated on a quarterly basis. This update includes two NEW Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) (HRP-028, HRP-067), one new form (HRP-817), and both major and minor changes to the current documents. A summary […]
Celebrating the First Anniversary of VIRBS!
This past Friday, August 7, VIRBS, VCU’s IRB system, turned one! We transitioned to VIRBS from RAMS on this date last year. The HRPP staff celebrated on Thursday! Between August 7, 2025, and August 6, 2026, HRPP staff and the VCU IRB have… Our volume is increasing: July 2026 was our busiest month of the […]
VCU HRPP in the News & New Tip Sheets for Investigators
Jill Opalesky, Director of the VCU HRPP, was recently interviewed for a Clinician.com article on gaps in expertise on Institutional Review Boards (IRBs). In the article, Jill discussed why these gaps can be challenging to fill, as well as the proactive steps the VCU HRPP is taking to find experts in needed areas. The HRPP […]
Research Ethics Highlight: Justice and Fair Subject Selection in Drug Development Trials
Today’s Research Ethics Highlight blog highlights a recent publication co-authored by HRPP’s new Quality Control Analyst, Brittany Acors, and her colleague at Johns Hopkins, Emily Peugh. The study explored how often BMI or weight metrics were included in the eligibility criteria for drug development clinical trials.1 The ethical analysis considered what effect those eligibility restrictions […]
Summer Student Researchers – Update
It’s officially that time of year again—the summer brings a shift in focus to research experiences for many students at VCU. Whether they’re working in labs, conducting surveys and interviews, or analyzing data from health records, students benefit from these hands-on learning experiences. Professors and PIs who are bringing students in on a research project […]