Protection of Human Subjects
IRB (Institutional Review Board)
UHCL's institutional review board (IRB) is comprised of members from each of the four colleges and includes alternates in case the primary member is not present. Other members include external and non-research individuals. The UHCL IRB is organized and operated in accordance with the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations and under Federalwide Assurance No. 00004068.
The protections apply to studies conducted internally by faculty or staff and to external studies conducted by grantees and contractors. UHCL adheres to the principles outlined in the Nuremberg Code, Belmont Report, and the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki.
Beginning September 1, 2024, we no longer accept IRB applications via email. All applications, amendments, and renewals will need to be submitted via Cayuse.
IRB Application Process
- Complete or update your Social-Behavioral-Educational Researchers training on CITI. Make sure your CITI primary email is your UHCL email. Click here for step-by-step CITI registration and enrollment instructions.
- Log in to Cayuse by clicking "IRB Application" under go.uhcl.edu.
- Students, sign in with your student worker/TA/RA account if you have one.
- If that does not work, fill out the Request for Access form:
Student/Guest Request for Access
- Help Article: Creating a new study in Cayuse
- Help Article: Creating an Initial Submission in Cayuse
Guests - those who have been added to Cayuse and do not have UHCL credentials - use the link below:
Inputting Pre-FY2025 Studies into Cayuse for Amendments
Studies approved via email prior to FY2025 are considered "Legacy" studies and need to be inputted as follows:
- Create a new study in Cayuse. Use the original title with "Legacy:" in front.
- Use the "New Submission" button and create an Initial Submission.
- Answer "Are you inputting a study that was approved via the old system (email) to make changes?" with Yes to route to the Legacy form.
- Input the information from the orignal study exactly as seen in the most recent approved version.
- Once you receive approval of this Initial Submission, use the "New Submission" button and create a Modification Submission.
- Input all necessary changes.
- Once the modification (formerly known as amendment) is approved, you will be notified via email.
How do I make changes to a study that has been approved in Cayuse?
You will need to intiate a "Modification" submission.
Instructions: Submitting a Modification
Which section in Research Team do I use to add student researchers?
If they need access to make future edits to the study in Cayuse, add them as Co-Investigators.
If they do not need edit access in Cayuse, add them as Other Personnel (they will
have View access).
Cayuse Assistance
Virtual Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Zoom Link for Cayuse Office Hours
Phone: (281) 283-3015
Email: sponsoredprograms@uhcl.edu
Transferring CITI Training from Another Institution
Transferring your CITI training in to UHCL from a different university? Follow these steps:
- Log into your CITI account. If you can't remember your user name and password, contact CITI.
- You must be affiliated with both institutions (your prior institution and UHCL).
- Your primary email address must be your UHCL email address to sync with Cayuse.
- The CITI Program website Main Menu page will have a section called "My Learner Tools" for your prior institution.
- Follow the "Click here to affiliate with another institution" link to add an affiliation.
- Type and select "University of Houston-Clear Lake" and click "Next".
- Once you have affiliated with both institutions, on the Main Menu page under University of Houston-Clear Lake select "Add a Course or Update Learner Groups".
- Enroll in the UHCL Social-Behavioral-Educational Researcher course.
- You will need to enroll in the same stage of the course (Basic/Refresher) for a proper transfer to occur.
- Once you are enrolled in the UHCL course, any modules that are shared between the two institutions' courses will have their credit transferred automatically.
- The researcher is responsible for completing any UHCL modules that were not completed by the transfer of credits.
Adult Participant Consent
- Adult Informed Consent Form
- Adult Informed Consent-Minimal Risk of Injury Disclaimer
- This form is used if physical risk is a possibility.
- Consent to Take Part in a Human Research Study
Online Survey Consent
- Online Survey Instructions
- This document provides instructions regarding online surveys and what types of information to include in the IRB application and informed-informational research document.
- Informed-Informational Research Document
- This form is used for projects that have requested and received IRB waiver for documentation of informed consent. Participants' signatures are not required.
Working with Minors (Non-Educational Settings)
- Parental Informed Consent/Child Assent Single Form
- Parental Informed Consent Form Under Age 7
- Parental Informed Consent Form Ages 7-17
- Child Participant Assent Form (Ages 7-12)
- Adolescent Participant Assent Form (Ages 13-17)
- Parental Permission to Take Part in a Human Research Study
Working with Minors (Educational Settings)
- Parental Informed Consent Form for Child Under 7 Years Old
- Parental Informed Consent/Child Assent (Ages 7-12) Single Form
- Parental Informed Consent/Adolescent Assent (Ages 13-17) Single Form
En Español
Serve on the IRB Committee
Interested in joining?
- Complete the CITI Training for IRB Committee Members
- Request to join
- Faculty - contact your dean
- Staff & Community Members - contact the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs at sponsoredprograms@uhcl.edu
IRB Committee Cayuse Training
Part 1 - Navigation (YouTube, 15:14)
Part 2 - Leaving Comments and Returning to PI (YouTube, 19:20)
Part 3 - Resolving Comments and Finalizing the Review (YouTube, 3:52)
Part 4 - Full Board Meetings (YouTube, 15:41)
Full Text of Official Procedures
Update coming soon.