Important update on Change in IRB Submission Software

Over the past year and a half, UB has invested significant resources in an overhaul of the university’s Human Research Protection Program to better support our research community. Part of that investment was the purchase of a grants and compliance system, called "Click Portal", that will streamline workflow and better manage our processes.

This new system will provide UB faculty and staff with a new administrative tool that will integrate all aspects of grants management into a single system (IRB, IACUC, Grants Management, Financial Conflicts of Interest, Research Agreements and Safety). UB is helping lead this effort and will be deploying the Click IRB module in Fall 2015..  Benefits of the Click IRB module:

1. Provide an intuitive and easy to use system;
2. Reduce investigator and coordinator effort on protocol creation and submission;
3. Leverage existing single-sign-on technologies that use UB credentials;
4. Reduce IRB turnaround times; and
5. Create IRB administrative efficiencies to better serve research investigators and their staffs.

I have an important update to share with you in regards to this new software system:

• Beginning November 1, 2015, we anticipate using “Click Portal” for all IRB submissions.
• Click will take the place of IRBNet; all IRBNet data and documents will be made available for future use.

What does this mean for faculty investigators and their IRB submissions?

• After 10/16/15, we will no longer use IRBNet for any IRB submissions.  All data and documents that are in the IRBNet system as of 10/16/15 will be maintained by UB. However, we strongly recommend that you secure backup electronic copies of your IRBNet documents by 10/15/15. 
• Starting 10/16/2015 there will be a 2-week "No Submission" period where the IRB department will not process any IRB submissions. The submission of New Reportable Events will be the only exception to this "No Submission" timeline.  Any New Reportable Events should be sent directly to Rich Karalus (karalus@buffalo.edu) AND the UBIRB mailbox (ub-irb@buffalo.edu). 
• On 11/1/2015, the IRB department will start accepting submissions through Click IRB.
• Onsite training for investigators, research coordinators and other critical staff will be available starting 09/22/2015. There will be multiple training sessions across the three campuses. For more information, visit our schedule and training registration site.