Research Integrity Office
Protection of Research Participants
The Mission of the TTUHSC Research Integrity Office (RIO) is to provide administrative oversight of TTUHSC research activities to ensure adherence with ethical and compliance standards required by federal and state regulations and by institutional policies. RIO manages research compliance committees and provides ongoing monitoring and training for the TTUHSC research community in areas such as human and animal research, lab safety, recombinant DNA, research misconduct, and financial conflicts of interest.
The many components of the Research Integrity office provide oversight of TTUHSC policies related to regulatory compliance. Our employees are committed to providing ongoing training and monitoring in order to promote ethical and compliant research practices throughout the TTUHSC system.
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Beth Taraban
Assistant Vice President for Research Integrity
806.743.4566
beth.taraban@ttuhsc.edu
Reviews research involving human subjects. All human research studies are reviewed by the IRB before beginning and continue to be monitored for the duration of the project, evaluating risks to subjects and compliance with federal regulations and institutional policies. MORE
Lubbock/Odessa
Karen Douglas
Unit Manager
806.743.4753 | F: 806.743.4746
karen.douglas@ttuhsc.edu
Amarillo/Dallas/Abilene
Katherine Thomas, BSN, CIP
Director - Amarillo Institutional Review Board
806.414-9935
kathy.thomas@ttuhsc.edu
Committee with federally mandated oversight responsibilities regarding the scientific and technical aspects of a grant award and must ensure compliance with Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. MORE
Sara Grano
IACUC Administrator
806.743.2027
sara.grano@ttuhsc.edu
Develop and advise standard policy and procedures for the safe use, handling and storage of hazardous chemical and biological materials. Additionally reviews reports and supervises the institutional educational programs on the handling hazardous materials. MORE
Beatriz Velez
IBC Coordinator
806.743.2897 | F: 806.743.4746
beatriz.velez@ttuhsc.edu
Laboratory Animal Resources Center (LARC) is committed to providing TTUHSC faculty, staff, and students with high quality, cost-effective research animal resources. The LARC is dedicated to providing the highest quality animal resources supporting research and teaching goals. MORE
Approves and oversees the use of recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules in all teaching, research, or testing activities conducted at TTUHSC facilities or by TTUHSC research personnel. MORE
Beatriz Velez
RDBC Coordinator
806.743.2897 | F: 806.743.4746
beatriz.velez@ttuhsc.edu
Audits human research studies to monitor compliance with federal regulations, state laws, and TTUHSC institutional policies for the protection of the rights and welfare of human research participants.
Clinical Trials, Export Controls and Effort Reporting
Chad Copeland
Research Compliance Officer
806.743.4752 | F: 806.743.4746
chadley.copeland@ttuhsc.edu
Systematic collection and analysis of data and implementation of interventions to improve the quality of clinical care and/or educational programs by students, faculty and staff at TTUHSC. MORE
APPLICATION:
CONTACT:
Toni Denison, MS, RBP
Director of Quality Improvement
(806) 743-4276
QIRB@ttuhsc.edu
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) is committed to the highest ethical standards and responsible use of human embryonic stem cells (hESC) or human Pluripotent Stem Cells (hPSC) in research. As part of that commitment, TTUHSC has established an Embryonic Stem Cell Research Oversight (ESCRO) Committee that provides local oversight of ethical issues related to deviation and research of these types of cells in experiments expected to yield gametes or with the intent to integrate these cells in the central nervous system of animals. MORE
The RIO Staff provides training to groups and individuals on all aspects of research ethics and compliance. Classes can be tailored to the specific needs or questions of the group. Please contact us to answer individual questions or to set up a seminar. In addition, we offer online training through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative training program (www.citiprogram.org). The following CITI courses are available:
- Biomedical Investigator Course (required for all study personnel conducting research with humans prior to submitting a project for IRB review)
- Financial Conflict of Interest Course (required for study personnel conducting research with humans AND for Principal Investigators/Senior Personnel on research grants prior to expenditure of funds)
- Research with Animals Course (recommended, though not required, for study personnel doing research with animals)
- Responsible Conduct of Research (recommended for everyone who is involved in the research enterprise at TTUHSC)
Jennifer Board
806.414.9935
jennifer.board@ttuhsc.edu
The Research Integrity Office receives and provides an initial review of financial disclosure statements from TTUHSC researchers and provides administrative oversight of the TTUHSC Conflict of Interest in Research Committee. Additional information about financial disclosures and conflicts of interest (including current policy) can be found here - FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE INFORMATION.
The Research Integrity Office (RIO) Director serves as TTUHSC’s Research Integrity Officer to receive potential allegations of research misconduct in accordance with TTUHSC’s policy on Honesty in Research and the corresponding guidelines and procedures. In accordance with TTUHSC’s policy, research misconduct is defined as “fabrication, falsification or plagiarism in proposing, performing or reviewing research, or in reporting research results.”