Division of Research

Human Subjects Research at Brown

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Human Subjects Research at Brown

The Brown Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) is designed to protect the rights, safety, and well-being of people who take part in Human Subjects Research at Brown. This includes making sure participants understand what they’re agreeing to, keeping their information private, and reviewing studies to ensure they are ethical and fair.

The Brown HRPP also plays an important role in supporting the research community. It helps researchers navigate the rules, provides training and guidance, and works to make sure that studies can move forward responsibly and efficiently.

The Brown HRPP, as part of the BIRCH initiative, will serve as the centralized oversight body for human subjects research conducted not only within the university but also across two affiliated health systems: Care New England and Brown University Health. This integrated approach ensures consistent application of ethical standards, regulatory compliance, and institutional policies across all research sites.

The go-live date for HRPP alignment, originally planned for Fall 2025, has been rescheduled for early 2026. This shift is due the need for additional time to refine and implement a system login option that best accommodates all our research partners.

Inquiries for HRPP staff can be submitted to irb@brown.edu, or researchers can view individual staff information by visiting Research Integrity.

HRPP Resources

HRPP and the IRB

An Institutional Review Board (IRB) is a committee that reviews research studies to make sure they are safe, ethical, and fair for the people who take part.

Before a research study involving people can begin, the IRB looks at things like:

What the study is trying to learn
How participants will be treated
Whether participants are fully informed and have given their consent
How private information will be protected

The HRPP staff supports Brown’s Institutional Review Board (IRB), which is responsible for protecting the rights and well-being of research participants and ensuring that researchers follow ethical guidelines and treat participants with respect.

Visit the following pages to learn more about the IRB board, IRB meeting dates and deadlines, other review boards at Brown, and the greater Research Integrity team.

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Brown is an independent committee of scientists, nonscientists and members unaffiliated with Brown and appointed by the Vice President for Research. The IRB was established to protect the rights and welfare of human subjects recruited to participate in biomedical or social/behavioral research conducted by Brown researchers.

Review and Regulatory Boards

The review and regulatory boards within Brown University’s Division of Research provide ethical oversight, guidance and support to Brown researchers; ensure compliance with regulations and standards; monitor quality assurance of research processes and policies; and enable feedback and effective communications between investigators and research administrators within the University.

Research Integrity

Research Integrity is a group of teams — including Animal Research Compliance, Export Controls, the Human Research Protection Program, Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement, Conflict of Interest and Regulatory Compliance — that partner with the research community to facilitate ethical research guided by governing policies and regulations.

New to Brown?

If you’re a new faculty member coming to Brown, make sure you understand how to transition your research awards, data and materials to the University. You may want to schedule an onboarding session to learn about Brown’s forms, processes and policies, or reach out to a Division of Research staff member for additional support.

Contact Research Integrity