Institutional Review Board

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) Office supports Augusta University’s commitment to ethical research by ensuring the protection of human subjects and compliance with federal regulations. We serve as the central point of contact for advancing the goals of the Enterprise Human Research Protection Program (HRPP).

We uphold the ethical principles outlined in the Belmont Report—respect for persons, beneficence, and justice—and ensure adherence to federal regulations, including the Common Rule (45 CFR 46) established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. These principles guide our efforts to minimize risk, secure informed consent, and ensure participants fully understand the research and associated risks.

The IRB has the authority to approve, exempt, disapprove, monitor, and require modifications to any research involving human subjects, as outlined by federal and institutional policy. All research must receive IRB approval or exemption before any study-related activities begin.

The IRB Office provides a wide range of support services, including:

• Administrative support for internal IRB committees
• Facilitation of collaborative research with external institutions and non-affiliated investigators
• Monitoring and oversight of all IRB-approved studies
• Education and training for investigators and IRB committee members
• Complimentary study-specific submission guidance through our consultation service
• Templates and guidance documents for IRB submissions
• Educational webinars on IRB and human subjects research topics
• Community engagement and outreach initiatives to bridge the gap between researchers and community members