Institutional Review Board
For the 2024-2025 academic year, the IRB will temporarily pause all review of submitted protocols according to the dates listed below. We thank you in advance for your understanding.
Wednesday, November 27, 2024 through Friday, November 29, 2024
Monday, December 23, 2024 through Friday, January 3, 2025
Monday, May 5, 2025 through Friday, May 9, 2025
Monday, July 21, 2025 through Monday, July 28, 2025
Welcome
The purpose of the PLNU Institutional Review Board (IRB) is to serve the campus community by ensuring that all research involving human participants will meet or exceed federal guidelines governing such research. To fulfill this purpose, the IRB reviews research projects involving human participants to ensure compliance with federal regulations and ethical standards. Any faculty member, staff member, or student conducting such research is required to seek IRB approval. The IRB has the authority to approve, request modifications, or disapprove projects to protect the rights and welfare of research participants.
The PLNU IRB is guided by the ethical principles described in the following:
The Belmont ReportResearch Integrity
Researchers/investigators are required to submit an IRB proposal and must receive an official IRB Approval Letter BEFORE starting research data collection.
Note: Processing and response to any IRB submission may take up to 7 to 10 business days. Please plan accordingly.
We recognize that the administrative hurdles imposed by these guidelines are often daunting for aspiring researchers, and our goal is to help you navigate this important process. To that end, we have converted the research proposal submission process to an electronic system. Although it isn't perfect, the new system is designed to ease the paperwork burden for student and faculty researchers, decrease wait times required for you to receive feedback, and increase the efficiency and record keeping abilities of the board.
Effective Fall 2023, all researchers associated with a submitted protocol must submit proof of CITI IRB Training completion as part of the review process.
Using this system, you may:
- Submit a new research proposal
- Propose an amendment to approved research
- Propose to extend previously approved research (if approval is expired or expiring)
- Close a research project
If you have any feedback, questions, or concerns please email irb@pointloma.edu.
Best wishes with all your research endeavors!