Decorative IRB Logo with the Daemen University Seal and the words Institutional Review Board

The Institutional Review Board - Human Subjects Research (IRB) is responsible for ensuring that all research at Daemen University involving human subjects is appropriately documented in accordance with pertinent legal and ethical requirements. Researchers who receive the Committee's approval for their projects are responsible for conducting the research as approved, without changes pertaining to the treatment of subjects, and are responsible for maintaining ethical standards while conducting research.

This page provides faculty and students with the necessary information to conduct, report and seek approval of research in the most appropriate and efficient manner.

Before submitting proposals, researchers must consult the Daemen University Institutional Review Board (IRB) Human Subjects Research Policy, including its description of criteria for Exempt, Expedited and Full Review Proposals, and required elements of informed consent.

Submission Instructions

All requests for review of proposals should be submitted through Mentor - Daemen's IRB Submission Portal according to the following instructions:

  1. Login to the website using your Daemen credentials and select the "IRB" tab from the top menu bar. 
  2. Select the "My Protocols" tab from the left menu bar and click on "Create New Protocol". 
  3. Complete the "IRB Pre-Protocol Survey" to determine the appropriate level of review for your study and confirm that the project meets the definition of Human Subjects Research.
  4. Create the initial study protocol by answering basic questions about the research study.
  5. Next, click on the "Application Sections" link to complete each required section of the protocol and use the "Upload Docs" button to upload any study-related documents. Pay attention to the blue tool tip iconsTool tip icon - small, light blue circle with a white exclamation pointthat provide additional information and suggested language for many of the required application questions.
  6. Each member of the research team will need to sign off on the protocol before it can be submitted, and all required application section questions must be completed before researchers can sign the protocol.
  7. If the project involves student researcher(s), the protocol must be fully vetted by the Daemen faculty member supervising the project.
  8. Each investigator on the project (including students and faculty) will also need to provide current evidence of ethics training for research with human subjects. The Daemen IRB requires investigators to complete the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) research ethics course and to submit CITI completion certificates before the review process can begin. This training can be accessed on the CITI Program website. Please refer to the CITI Instructions below (under FAQs) for detailed information on completion requirements and accessing the CITI website.
  9. Upload CITI completion reports to Mentor by clicking on the "Training Certification" tab from the left menu bar within the main "IRB" tab.

For more detailed information on how to submit a protocol, see the Mentor Video Demonstration.

Timelines

Proposals for Exempt and Expedited review are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis (ie. no deadlines) and may be submitted at any time without regard to meeting schedule. For your research timeline, please plan on 2 - 3 weeks turnaround time for review of applications for Certification of Exemption, and 3 - 4 weeks turnaround time for review of applications for Expedited review or for Certification of Exemption with limited review. Protocols that are incomplete or lack sufficient detail will likely extend the timeline for review and approval. 

Proposals for Full Committee review must be received 10 business days prior to the scheduled meeting date (see below), or review of the proposal may be tabled for the following meeting.

*Please note: regardless of the type of review being submitted, please plan your timeline accordingly, and allow for the potential of multiple rounds of revisions. The average new protocol takes 2-3 rounds of revisions before it is approved.

Academic Year 2023- 2024 IRB Meeting Dates

Meetings to discuss full-review protocol submissions are usually held once per month on a Thursday in the RIC or via Zoom from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. during the academic year. (Please note that the IRB does not typically meet to review full-review protocols during the summer - please plan accordingly). 

Fall 2023

  • September 21st
  • October 26th 
  • November 30th
  • December 14th

Spring 2024

  • February 22nd
  • March 21st
  • April 18th
  • May 9th 

Frequently Asked Questions

IRB Templates and Samples

IRB Checklists for Important Protocol Sections

Use the checklists below as you complete your protocol for review to ensure that you are including all relevant information. Using these checklists will likely speed up the protocol approval timeline.