Responsible Conduct of Research
The Office of Research Compliance (ORC) is a collaboration of USP staff who provide oversight and guidance in aspects of regulatory and policy compliance. It is linked in a common responsibility for compliance with federal, state, and sponsor regulations applicable to the conduct of research.
The ORC’s mission is to enhance the University’s research environment and to provide assistance to the research community on these important and sometimes challenging issues.
Institutional Review Board
All faculty, staff, and student bodies who plan to initiate research involving human subjects must submit a protocol for review and approval to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) prior to beginning the project. The Office of Sponsored Projects and Research (OSPR) staff provides administrative support to researchers who are preparing protocols for presentation to the IRB.
Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee
The Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) ensures the health, well-being, and humane use of animals used in research at USP, following the regulations and guidance of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services. Marie Stafford provides administrative support to researchers preparing protocols for presentation to the IACUC.
Office of Environmental Health and Radiation Safety
The Office of Environmental Health and Radiation Safety (EHRS) at USP provides compliance tools to optimize laboratory and facility conditions across research projects, from safe handling of potentially hazardous materials to biosafety training. EHRS also has created guidelines and policies to describe its emergency response system, and hazardous disposal and transfer.
Misconduct in Science
USP strives to promote an atmosphere of honesty and integrity among its faculty, students, and staff and requires all research to be carried out in a manner reflective of these principles. Allegations of misconduct are handled in accordance with the University's Policy for Responding to Allegations of Scientific Misconduct.
Conflict of Interest
USP’s Conflict of Interest Policy is for all individuals who work on (a) sponsored USP research; (b) non-sponsored USP research that involves human or animal subjects; and (c) research funded by a formal award from an internal USP source(s) based on submission of a proposal. The policy describes the disclosure process required for USP faculty and staff inclusive of the Research Conflict of Interest Certification and, when the certification indicates that a disclosure of potential financial conflict of interests of outside professional and commercial activities is merited, a Research Conflicts of Interest Disclosure Involving For-Profits or Involving Non-Profits.
Intellectual Property
In compliance with federal regulations, USP’s Intellectual Property Policy is intended to further the University’s mission to educate students to become leaders and innovators in the sciences, the health professions, and emerging related disciplines. This policy is designed to maintain the University’s general philosophy regarding the open dissemination of research results and the encouragement of research and scholarship without regard to potential financial gain, while recognizing that commercialization of intellectual property of certain research is the means to achieve the maximal benefit to society.