Research Integrity and Compliance (RIC), a unit within the Division of Research and Innovation (DRI), provides regulatory compliance oversight and interpretive support for the topics described below. Links to the DRI website are included below for each topic, except for Biosafety, Radiation and Laser Safety, which are supported by the UNT Risk Management Services Department; the links for those topics will lead to the RMS website.
The UNT Institutional Review Board (IRB) reviews all proposed research projects involving human subjects to be conducted at UNT or to be conducted at any location by UNT faculty, staff, and students in connection with their institutional responsibilities. Operating under a Federal-wide Assurance (FWA) issued by the Office for Human Research Protections (part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), the UNT IRB’s primary mandate is to minimize the safety and privacy risks for human participants in research studies, while supporting UNT faculty, staff and students in the conduct of ethical research. Visit the UNT IRB website for guidance.
The primary responsibilities of the UNT Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) are to review all proposed research projects involving the use of live vertebrate animals and to ensure that all personnel involved in animal research have received proper training in the care and use of laboratory or field animals. The IACUC meets on a monthly basis to review all proposed uses of live vertebrates for research and instructional purposes. The Committee is also responsible for conducting inspections and to inspect (on a semi-annual basis) all UNT laboratories where live vertebrates are housed for these purposes. The primary regulators of the UNT IACUC are the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture) and the Office for Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). Visit the UNT IACUC website for more guidance.
The US Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Public Health Service (PHS) policy guidelines requires the University to establish conflict of interest review procedures with the goal of promoting objectivity in funded research. All covered individuals, regardless of the funding source, must complete a conflict of interest disclosure and complete conflict of interest training. The disclosures are reviewed by the Research Integrity and Compliance staff and UNT’s Conflict of Interest Committee. The Conflict of Interest Committee reviews disclosures to determine whether a researcher’s Significant Financial Interest could affect the design, conduct, or reporting of the research activities funded or proposed for such funding, and determines what conditions or restrictions, if any, should be imposed to manage such interests. To submit a disclosure or for more guidance, visit UNT’s financial conflict of interest website.
Federal regulations require that UNT assume primary responsibility for the investigation of allegations of research misconduct and that UNT adequately protect the rights of those who report allegations of research misconduct as well as those who are accused of such misconduct. The UNT Research Misconduct Policy describes the roles of the Deciding Official, the Research Integrity Officer, the Inquiry Committee, and the Investigation Committee in the review and investigation of such allegations. The Vice President for Research and Innovation serves as the Deciding Official and appoints the members of each Inquiry Committee and Investigation Committee. The Associate Vice President for Research serves as the Research Integrity Officer to administer the procedures set forth in the Research Misconduct Policy. More information can be found at UNT’s Research Misconduct website.
Export controls laws are federal statutes that control the conditions under which certain information, technologies, and commodities can be transmitted overseas to anyone, including U.S. citizens, or to a foreign national here in the U.S. These statutes are implemented by the U.S. Department of Commerce through its Export Administration Regulations (EAR), the U.S. Department of State through its International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), and the U.S. Department of the Treasury through its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Export control affects three main areas at UNT:
If a research project involves certain types of technologies as specified in the regulations, EAR and/or ITAR may require UNT to obtain prior federal approval and licensing before allowing foreign nationals to participate in the research, before partnering with a foreign company, or before sharing research results in any manner (including by publication or presentation at academic conferences) with persons who are not U.S. citizens or permanent resident aliens. Travel to sanctioned countries or contracting with persons or entities in sanctioned countries or individuals on denied parties lists may be prohibited or limited by OFAC’s regulations. Shipping items outside the U.S. could require a license from OFAC (the Office of Foreign Assets Control), the Department of State, or BIS (Bureau of Industry and Security). Licensing could take anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 months, and shipping without a permit could lead to a fine for violators and UNT. For guidance, visit UNT’s Export Controls website.
The UNT Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) is responsible for reviewing proposed uses of biohazardous agents, human materials, and recombinant DNA molecules to assess compliance with applicable regulatory guidelines, including the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules. Uses of these materials must be registered with the Biosafety Officer, and some uses will require IBC review. Link to Biosafety page on the Risk Management Services Department website.
The UNT Radiation Safety Committee has responsibility for policies and practices regarding the receipt, use, monitoring, and disposal of radioactive material, radiation producing devices, and lasers. Link to Radiation Safety page on the Risk Management Services Department website.