Office of Research Integrity (ORI)

July 27, 2020 (Update 13 - 12:23 pm)

The "COVID-19: Back to Campus" optional course is now available in the UK Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) curriculum.

This course is designed to educate staff, students, and faculty on topics such as background of the disease, how it likely spreads, recommendations by the CDC, NIH, and OSHA, prevention methods, laboratory and research hygiene, mental health and well-being tips, among others.

The course also includes supplemental modules on specific areas such as research with human subjects and safe lab reactivation involving animal research.

If interested in this course, refer to the UK Office of Research Integrity's Human Subject Protection Training FAQs for information on accessing the course.

**NOTE: This course does not replace the training modules under the UK Resumption of Research Phased Plan and you will not receive credit for this course.

July 10, 2020 (Update 12 - 8:15 am)

Please note: you must meet the requirements of the VPR Resumption of Research Phased Plan (training & individualized plan submission for Phases 2-4) before conducting any in-person human subjects research. Both the researcher training completion and the individualized plan for research work space/personnel are automatically routed by the VPR’s office to the respective department chair for evaluation.  Unless otherwise indicated, protocol-specific IRB approval to resume research that has been paused due to COVID-19 concerns is not required.

June 12, 2020 (Update 11 - 8:00 am)

COVID-19 related announcements from the June IRB Review Newsletter

Applying the UK Resumption of Research Phase Plan to Human Subject Research  

ORI has developed Human Subjects Research FAQs for applying UK’s Resumption of Research Phased Plan released by the Vice President for Research (VPR). The FAQs include a Human Subjects Research Phases Table with examples of the type of study appropriate to resume with each phase.

Consolidated Guide for Submitting and Conducting COVID-19 Human Research

This guidance combines questions and answers for newly initiated COVID-19 protocols or modifications to add COVID-19 objectives to existing research. Click to view guidance.

Revised "UK ORI Best Practice for Remote Informed Consent Guide" 

This guide outlines requirements and best practices for remote consent of subjects unable to travel to the research site and those isolated for infection control reasons. Additional guidance and tools are provided for FDA-regulated research which has the extra requirements for electronic records and signatures (FDA 21 CFR part 11). Click to view guidance.

May 29, 2020 (Update 10 - 5:00 pm)

The Vice President for Research (VPR) has released UK’s Resumption of Research Phased Plan. Please read the VPR’s plan, which outlines specific institutional resumption requirements and instructions (click here for a PDF version).

ORI has developed Human Subjects Research FAQs for applying the plan and safeguards in human subject research including a Human Subjects Research Phases Table with examples of the type of study appropriate to resume with each phase.

Need help with a research or IRB related topic? Find answers and A-Z guidance in the IRB Survival Handbook.

ORI supports the institution in promoting ethical conduct of human research and educating University of Kentucky (UK) faculty, staff, and students regarding human research compliance and research ethics.  

ORI provides research support services including IRB review, policy development, web-based IRB submission (E-IRB), HIPAA/FERPA research reviews, protocol review management, ethical and regulatory education, quality improvement review, reliance agreement management, and research misconduct prevention and allegation management. ORI provides support for six federally mandated review committees: four Medical and one Nonmedical Institutional Review Boards (IRB), and the Radioactive Drug Research Committee (RDRC).  

The UK Human Research Program is fully accredited by the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Program (AAHRPP). Read about the 2020 AAHRPP Re-accreditation here.

UK Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) Comprehensive Plan (PDF, 22 pgs)

In December 2018, the University of Kentucky Office of Research Integrity (ORI) won an Award of Excellence for Best Practice in Human Research Protection for the “Informed Consent Workshop: From Perception to Process.” The four-hour, hands-on workshop assists researchers in adopting new informed consent rules. Read more…