Human Subjects Research Protections at Touro University

Here we provide our researchers with essential guidance about their ethical responsibilities for conducting studies with participants and about how to work with our Institutional Review Board- (IRB-) to secure approval for those activities.

Touro prides itself as an institution where knowledge and values meet. With a mission to educate, to serve, to perpetuate and to enrich the historic Jewish tradition of tolerance and dignity, the ethical context surrounding human subjects research has particular resonance for us. We can never forget that key catalysts to establishing principles in this area were the Nazi war atrocities and medical experiments during the Holocaust that resulted in promulgation of the formative Nuremberg Code in 1947.

It is in that spirit that all research at Touro University involving humans as subjects is guided by the ethical principles set forth in a report issued in 1978 by the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research. This report, titled "Ethical Principles and Guidelines for the Protection of Human Subjects of Research," is usually referred to as the "Belmont Report." We have chosen to apply those ethical principles whether the research is subject to federal regulation, and regardless of whether the research is funded or unfunded.

Touro has established the TouroNY- IRB- to protect the rights and welfare of human research subjects who are recruited to participate in research activities conducted under the auspices of the University.

With a focus on review of biomedical and health sciences projects. [These academic programs include: the College of Osteopathic Medicine (Harlem and Middletown campuses); the College of Pharmacy; and the School of Health Sciences.]and social, behavioral, and educational projects. [These academic programs include: Touro's Graduate Schools of Business, Education, Psychology, Information Technology, Jewish Studies, and Social Work; the schools that constitute Touro's Undergraduate Division; and the Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center.]

The IRB operates under an approved Federal Wide Assurance (FWA00015486; September 30, 2016) and are registered with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of Human Research Protections (OHRP).

Hebrew Theological College in Illinois also operates under our FWA.

Research involving human subjects that need approval from the IRB generally falls into one of the following categories:

• Basic and applied research that is conducted by faculty and other staff members eligible to serve as Principal Investigators under University policy; or
• Doctoral dissertation or master’s and undergraduate senior honor thesis research that is conducted by students. (These projects require a faculty advisor designated as responsible for oversight or as a co-Principal Investigator. Other student projects may require IRB review and approval; thus, the faculty advisor should consult with the Chair of the IRB for guidance.)

Human subjects may include non-Touro populations as well as Touro students or staff -- for example, if a faculty member seeks to conduct research with students enrolled in a Touro course.

The IRB has the authority to approve, require modifications to, or disapprove all research activities as specified by both federal regulations and University policy. The IRB- is managed by the IRB Administrator. -

THE SUBMISSION AND REVIEW PROCESS FOR IRB APPLICATIONS IS ELECTRONIC USING SITERO’S MENTOR IRB. 

Mentor is integrated with our TouroOne Single Sign-On system (SSO). All Touro faculty and staff are required to access the Mentor IRB using SSO. Watch video instructions on using Sitero Mentor IRB.

For Faculty and Staff access to Mentor IRB using SSO, please follow these steps:

1. Log into the TouroOne portal
2. Proceed to the Employee tab
3. Click the Mentor button

For Student access to Mentor IRB using SSO, please follow these steps:

1. Log into the TouroOne portal
2. Proceed to the Academic tab
3. Click the Mentor button

If you do not know your TouroOne portal credentials, or if you encounter any other login issues, please contact the TouroOne Helpdesk:

Email: help@touro.edu

Phone: 1 (844) 868-7666

For returning users:

Enter “touro” as the Institution ID, your username and password. If you forgot your password, please click on the “Forgot Password” link on the Mentor login page. If your username/email address is not recognized by Mentor, please contact the IRB office:

Email: TouroNY-IRB@touro.edu

IRB Meeting Schedules and Members

The IRB holds regularly scheduled meetings during the course of the academic year (September through June).  Meetings focus on discussing any Non-Exempt proposals that require full Board review and/or general business regarding oversight of human subjects research protections at the College. While no regularly scheduled meetings are held during summer months, the Board will conduct ad hoc conference call meetings when circumstances arise requiring full Board action.

Proposals that are likely to require full Board review must be submitted to the Board approximately two weeks prior to a scheduled IRB meeting. Once submitted, all proposals undergo an initial informal review to assess the completeness of the submission. Only after proposals are deemed complete are they distributed to Board members for review and formally placed on a meeting agenda for discussion.

IRB Members

The membership follows the mandate of the Revised Common Rule (§46.107 IRB Membership).

The combination of expertise, experience, and diversity among its members allows each Board to maximize collective knowledge and sensitivity to appropriate community values. In turn, that aggregate competency helps promote respect for the advice and determinations each Board provides in order to safeguard the rights and welfare of human subjects.

The majority of members consists of faculty members from across the University who reflect a broad spectrum of academic disciplines. The Board is also required to have at least one scientist and one non-scientist and at least one external member who has no ties to Touro. Moreover, if a Board determines that additional expertise is needed in order to be able to evaluate a specific proposal, the Board may invite an individual with that competence to assist in the proposal review (although that individual may not vote).

Board members pursue their ethical and legal obligations with all due diligence, coupled with a spirit of collegiality. Members recognize that at a primarily instructionally-focused institution like Touro—an institution whose research footprint is now expanding—assisting an investigator build awareness of the ethical and practical issues surrounding the conduct of research with human subjects is a valuable and constructive educational role that benefits not only the researcher, but the University community as a whole. 

Significant changes have recently been made to the federal regulations governing research involving human subjects. These regulations are usually referred to as the Common Rule and are the regulations under which most human subjects research at the College falls. The effective date of the "Revised" Common Rule regulations is January 21, 2019.

In light of this new regulatory framework, our website is divided into two major sections that lead researchers to the compliance information that is most pertinent.

Covid-19 Guidelines

Read the special guidelines on COVID-19 and human subject research (Updated as of October 27, 2022)