Institutional Review Board (IRB)

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) is the administrative and decision-making body having responsibility for review and approval of research involving human subjects. Before any research involving human subjects can be initiated it must have received IRB review and approval. The activities of the IRB are administered by Research Integrity.

Does Your Project Require IRB Approval:

If your project/research meets the federal definitions of research AND human subject your research must be reviewed by the IRB. Research is defined as a systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge. Human subject is defined as a living individual about whom an investigator conducting research obtains (1) Data through intervention or interaction with the individual, or (2) Identifiable private information. 

Training Requirements:

BGSU requires everyone engaged in human subjects’ research to complete the Social & Behavioral Research through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) website. The initial training is valid for three years. After the initial training expires, researchers are required to complete the refresher course.

Meeting Dates:

Important Note (Read Me): All IRBs should be submitted as soon as possible. The dates below are only for projects that require Full Committee review at a meeting. Exempt and Expedited protocols do not have to go before the Full Committee and can be approved once Designated Reviewers have approved the project.

Full Board Projects: To enhance the review process, the IRB has updated the submission dates below. These changes provide additional time to ensure protocols are fully prepared for review by the full committee.

Summer 2026

• July 15, 2026 | Submission Deadline: June 1, 2026
• August 5, 2026 | Submission Deadline: July 22, 2026

Fall 2026

• September 2, 2026 | Submission Deadline: August 19, 2026
• October 7, 2026 | Submission Deadline: September 23, 2026
• November 4, 2026 | Submission Deadline: October 21, 2026
• December 2, 2026 | Submission Deadline: November 18, 2026

Resources:

• Office for Human Research Protections at HHS
• Bowling Green State University Federal Wide Assurance for the Protection of Human Subjects 
• The Belmont Report 
• The Code of Federal Regulations 45 CFR 46
• Revised Common Rule
• Conducting Research in a Foreign Country
• BGSU University Policies - Protection of Human Subjects (3341-7-7) Conflict of Interest in Sponsored Programs & Research (3341-7-1) - Research Misconduct (3341-7-5)

Who can I contact if I have a question about the use of humans as research subjects?

Institutional Review Board (IRB)
irb@bgsu.edu
419-372-7724