What is IRB?

For an activity to be considered human subjects research requiring IRB oversight, it must involve UTSA faculty, students or staff as part of their role at UTSA, who want to conduct Human Subjects Research.

See what qualifies as Human Subjects Research. 

If you're not sure whether your project requires IRB approval, the IRB office is always available to help you make that determination. Contact the IRB at irb@utsa.edu. 

There are many types of risk related to research such as physical, psychological, social, financial as well as risks to employment and reputation.

It is the ethical responsibility of the researcher to protect participants from unnecessary risk. Researchers must ensure that research-related risks are minimized in the study design. “Minimal risk” typically refers to procedures or activities that an average person would expect to encounter during their daily life.

If your research goes beyond minimal risk, additional review processes are required to ensure participant safety.

At UTSA, research involving human subjects is reviewed according to the level of risk and falls into two main categories: minimal risk and greater than minimal risk.

Minimal risk studies (e.g., those eligible for exempt or expedited review) may be reviewed by the IRB Chair or their designee. These studies are reviewed in the order they are received, and there are no submission deadlines.

Studies involving greater than minimal risk must be reviewed by the full Institutional Review Board (IRB) at one of our monthly convened meetings. To ensure timely review, please submit your application at least six weeks prior to the scheduled meeting date. You can view upcoming deadlines on the Important Dates and Deadlines section of the Announcements Page.

If you’re unsure which type of review your study requires, contact the IRB office at irb@utsa.edu.

Once your study is approved, researchers will receive an approval letter via email informing of the approval period.

Some studies require annual review.

Researchers will receive an email from the IRB Office close to the approval anniversary date. If you plan to continue the research, you must respond to the email. Otherwise, your study will be closed and you may not continue conducting the research.

To request a modification to an already-approved research study, submit a request for a modification to the protocol (Modification Application) BEFORE implementing any change to the research. 

To submit a modification, follow the Cayuse Modification Steps (PDF).

Cayuse Protocol Submission 

If your study was submitted before 2020, please download the modification form in the OHPM system, fill it out and send to IRB at irb@utsa.edu.  

UTSA encourages research collaborations and our IRB office helps streamline the review process when multiple institutions are involved.  

First, determine who will be the lead PI. If the study is funded, the lead PI will be the primary investigator listed on the grant. If the study is not funded, the lead PI will be the investigator conducting the bulk of the research on his/her campus. 

UTSA participates in SMART IRB, a national platform that streamlines IRB reliance agreements and supports single IRB review for multisite research. 

If the lead PI is affiliated with UTSA: 

The lead PI will complete the submission in Cayuse as normal. There is a section in the protocol asking about collaborations with other institutions. Complete that section, making sure to include the contact information for the IRB offices at the other institutions. Our office will contact the other IRB offices to determine whether they are willing to enter a reliance agreement allowing us to serve as the IRB of record. 

If the lead PI is not affiliated with UTSA: 

The lead PI will submit the study to the IRB at their institution. The other institution’s IRB will contact the UTSA IRB and we will determine whether we can enter a reliance agreement ceding review to them. The collaborating PI from UTSA must also contact UTSA IRB via email at irb@utsa.edu.  

Please note: 

Federally funded Expedited or Full Board studies must be reviewed by a single IRB with reliance agreements in place for the rest of the participating institutions. Exempt studies are not subject to this requirement and reliance agreements are completed on a case-by-case basis.