Full Listing: Research Offices & Committees
There are many offices and committees at Washington University that are responsible for issues related to research administration, management, and compliance. Below is a consolidated, descriptive listing of offices and committees along with links to additional information for each entity.
You may also locate entities by subject area via the Compliance Areas section of this site.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
The Animal Studies Committee (ASC) is Washington University’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). The ASC oversees and evaluates animal care and use programs, procedures, and facilities at Washington University, including provisioning of animal care education, certification, and protocol approval. The Animal Studies Committee (ASC) coordinates with the Division of Comparative Medicine (DCM) to provide communication, education, and training for researchers, staff, and new ASC members and to assure that research involving animals is in compliance with Federal regulations and University and sponsoring agency policies and procedures.
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The Center for Clinical Studies (CCS), also known as the Center for Applied Research Sciences (CARS), negotiates pharmaceutical-industry sponsored clinical trial contracts for Washington University Medical School and its affiliated hospitals. In addition, CCS offers clinical investigators a wide range of purchasable services to support both the clinical and administrative aspects of conducting clinical studies. These services include clinical study coordinator services, regulatory and IRB submissions, budget estimates, information services support, and patient recruitment.
Contracts and Subagreements, in the Office of Sponsored Research Services (OSRS), provides University-wide contract and subagreement administration and negotiates acceptable terms and conditions with sponsors for all contracts and sub-agreements except pharmaceutical-industry sponsored clinical trials and non-federal flow through industry-sponsored agreements. The Office of Sponsored Research Services also provides communication, education, and training on contracts and sub-agreements to the Washington University research community.
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Disclosure Review Committee
The Division of Comparative Medicine (DCM) is responsible for providing routine animal husbandry, veterinary clinical care, and professional, technical, and facilities support for all animal research projects. DCM coordinates with the Animal Studies Committee (ASC) to provide communication, education, and training for researchers, staff, and new ASC members and to assure that research involving animals is in compliance with Federal regulations and University and sponsoring agency policies and procedures.
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Washington University provides Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Guidelines to support investigators engaged in human embryonic stem cell research, assure the responsible conduct of human embryonic stem cell research and comply with federal, state, and local laws and regulations. In order to provide appropriate oversight of human embryonic stem cell research, Washington University has established the Embryonic Stem Cell Research Oversight Committee (ESCRO).
Embryonic Stem Cell Protocol Application
Human Embryonic Stem Cell Guidelines Glossary
Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Guidelines
ESCRO website coming soon!
The department of Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) provides leadership for University health and safety programs; establishes, monitors, and enforces institutional policies and procedures; and helps ensure that investigators, staff, students, and contractors comply with all Federal, State, and local environmental, health, and safety regulatory standards and codes, including University policies and procedures. EH&S provides education and guidance on environmental health and safety issues, including work practices and activities involving hazardous and regulated materials, equipment, and environments. EH&S is comprised of four divisions: Biological & Chemical Safety, Environmental Compliance, Safety & Emergency Preparedness, and Radiation Safety.
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The Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (GSAS) handles Arts & Sciences (A&S) graduate education, including the admissions process, policy development, student fund administration, and coordination of the Chancellor's Graduate Fellowship program. The Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences (DBBS) handles Ph.D. degrees in the biomedical sciences.
See Office of Sponsored Research Services.
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Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
The
HIPAA Privacy Compliance Office is responsible for compliance with HIPAA regulations on privacy related to the internal use and external disclosure of protected health information (PHI).
The
HIPAA Security Compliance Office is responsible for compliance with HIPAA regulations on electronic and physical security related to internal use and external disclosure of protected health information (PHI). For additional information, please visit Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
The Human Research Protection Office (HRPO) administers ten independent Institutional Review Boards (IRBs), which review and approve protocols for all research at Washington University involving human participants. HRPO also administers Washington University’s Human Subjects Education Program.
The Human Subject Research Quality Assurance / Quality Improvement Program (HSR QA/QI) performs on-site monitoring of open human subject research protocols to help assure compliance with Federal regulations and University and sponsoring agency policies and procedures governing the use of human research participants. The HSR QA/QI Committee oversees all HSR QA/QI monitoring activities and assesses findings.
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The Institutional Biological & Chemical Safety Committee (IBC) is responsible for ensuring that research carried out at WUSTL is conducted in a safe and responsible manner. The IBC oversees research involving recombinant DNA, infectious or potentially infectious agents, and/or hazardous chemicals.
The Human Research Protection Office (HRPO) administers ten independent Institutional Review Boards (IRBs), which review and approve protocols for all research at Washington University involving human participants. HRPO also administers Washington University’s Human Subjects Education Program.
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Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and General Counsel
The Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and General Counsel (OGC) provides a wide variety of legal services to Washington University and its affiliated entities. The duties of the OGC include advising University officials on regulatory compliance and other legal aspects of their duties; preparing, reviewing, and in some instances negotiating the University's contracts and agreements; advising on risk management issues; representing the University in legal proceedings, real estate and other commercial transactions and providing legal advice to the University on a broad range of other legal issues.
Office of Physician Billing Compliance
The Office of Physician Billing Compliance (OPBC) is responsible for physician and non-physician practitioner billing issues, including teaching physician services, documentation, CPT and ICD-9 coding guidelines, reimbursement requirements, and health care fraud and abuse. The OPBC conducts internal audits for 70 clinical departments/divisions in the Medical School and provides education to faculty and staff regarding billing compliance standards.
The Office of Post Graduate Affairs (OPGA) serves as a focal point for the postdoctoral community at the Washington University School of Medicine and as an advocate for postdoc issues.
Office of Sponsored Research Services
The Office of Sponsored Research Services (OSRS), formerly known as the Research Office (RO) and Grants & Contracts (G&C), reviews and provides institutional signature for all WUSTL proposals, grants, and university-wide contract administration for non-clinical contracts. In addition, the Office of Sponsored Research Services is responsible for monitoring of compliance with Federal regulations and University and sponsoring agency policies and procedures regarding the management of non-financial aspects of sponsored programs. The Office of Sponsored Research Services provides communication, education, and training on proposal preparation, award management, and contracts and sub-agreements to the Washington University research community.
Office of Technology Management
The Office of Technology Management (OTM) manages the intellectual property portfolio of the University and promotes the transfer of University technology for public use. In addition, OTM handles all Material Transfer Agreements (MTA) and negotiates non-human participant related industry-sponsored contracts for Washington University.
Office of Undergraduate Research
The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) promotes and facilitates research by undergraduates at Washington University. OUR facilitates undergraduate research by maintaining a knowledge base of available opportunities, by uniting students and mentors, and by assisting with funding. OUR promotes undergraduate research by providing forums for presentation of research, by assisting students to make effective presentations, and by informing the Washington University community of these activities.
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The Radiation Safety Committee (RSC) works with executive management and the Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) to implement the radiation safety program, and to evaluate new users and new uses of all radioactive materials at Washington University, Barnes-Jewish Hospital and St. Louis Children’s Hospital. The RSC is responsible for reviewing personnel dosimetry, users’ compliance records and the effectiveness of the radiation safety program.
The Radioactive Drug Research Committee (RDRC) works with the Human Research Protection Office (HRPO) and the Radiation Safety Committee (RSC) in reviewing human research involving radioactive drugs. The RDRC ensures this kind of human research meets Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements (21 CFR 361.1).
Research Administration
Research Administration is headed by the Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Administration (AVCRA) in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research. The AVCRA supports the research enterprise at WU via the development and implementation of institutional research-related policies and procedures, the design and delivery of educational programs and communication tools to disseminate research-related information, the management of sponsored research projects, the development and implementation of research technology, and the coordination of institutional research compliance activities. Research Administration Organizational Chart
Research Education and Information (REI) provides research-related educational programs, events, and learning tools in a number of areas for Washington University faculty and staff. For a schedule of upcoming educational events, please visit the Research Events Calendar. REI also coordinates research-related communications initiatives, services, and tools for the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research.
Research Ethics and Compliance Office
The Research Ethics and Compliance Office (RECO) provides administrative support to (a) the Disclosure Review Committees of the School of Medicine and Danforth Campus regarding research related financial conflicts of interest and implementing the Annual Financial Disclosure Statement; (b) the Committee on Research Integrity (CRI) to address allegations of research misconduct in accordance with the Research Integrity Policy; and (c) the Embryonic Stem Cell Oversight (ESCRO) Committee to ensure research involving human embryonic stem cells or human embryos is conducted in accordance with the Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Guidelines, University policies, and federal and state regulations. In addition, RECO develops and provides information, tools, and services to support the Washington University research community in upholding the highest standards of ethical conduct and assuring the integrity of the research process.
Research Office
See Office of Sponsored Research Services.
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Sponsored Projects Accounting (SPA) serves as financial intermediaries between sponsoring agencies and Washington University Principal Investigators. SPA provides institutional signature for sponsored financial reports and is the primary source for interpretation of Federal regulations and University and sponsoring agency policies and procedures governing incurring, reimbursing, and reporting costs under sponsored-research agreements. SPA provides communication, education, and training on the financial administration of sponsored projects.
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The University Compliance Office exercises independent oversight of the adequacy of compliance activities at Washington University and reports its findings to the Audit Committee of the University’s Board of Trustees. Areas reviewed by the Compliance Office include, but are not limited to, research, conflicts of interest, human resources, environmental health and safety, and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
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The Vice Chancellor for Research (VCR) is responsible for directing and guiding Washington University's research mission. Through the formulation of compliance entities, policies, procedures, systems, and educational programs that support research and related activities, the VCR promotes the development and implementation of high quality research initiatives and establishes and maintains a culture of compliance among faculty, students, and staff involved in research and related activities.
WU Research Organizational Summary
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