Committee Review
Research conducted at Hackensack Meridian Health may require oversight from certain research committees, depending on the nature of the research.
Additional Information
The Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) is responsible for ensuring the ethical and equitable treatment of all human subjects in research conducted under its auspices.
The mission is to:
- Safeguard and promote the health and welfare of human research subjects by ensuring that their rights, safety and well-being are protected;
- Provide guidance and support to the research community in the conduct of research with human subjects;
- Assist the research community in ensuring compliance with relevant regulations;
- To provide timely and high-quality education, review and monitoring of human research projects; and
- To facilitate excellence in human subjects research.
The Institutional Review Board (IRB) reviews human subjects research studies and determines whether the studies are consistent with the principles of the Belmont Report and with relevant regulations and guidelines. The time and process of the review depends on the nature of the study submitted. Once the investigator submits his or her study, it is determined to be either exempt, expedited, or subject to a convened committee review. It is then forwarded to the appropriate reviewer(s) for consideration. The investigator is contacted once a determination is made regarding the study’s approval status.
The Human Research Protection Program policies and practices can be accessed via the HRPP (IRB) SOPS.
The IRB generally meets the first and third Wednesday of each month with submission one month prior to the meeting.
Our program is fully accredited by the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP).
For more information, please contact 201-880-3669 or hmhirb@hmhn.org.
1. Investigator COI-A situation in which the financial interests of the investigator or the investigator’s immediate family members could bias the research of the institution.
2. Institutional COI-A situation in which financial interests of HMH or those of an institutional official acting on behalf of Hackensack Meridian Health could bias the research of the institution.
3. Secondary Activity- This includes any activity undertaken in support of or in association with any person or entity other than Hackensack Meridian Health that would constitute an actual or perceived conflict as defined in Policy 541-2.
The COI Committee determines in what way potential conflicts of interest reported by Hackensack Meridian Health staff members should be addressed. The committee decides whether further management or elimination of the conflict is required. In some instances, the COI Committee will develop a plan in consultation with the faculty or staff member, and the faculty member or staff member must abide by the terms of the plan.
To submit a COI Disclosure Statement
All study staff must complete a Conflicts of Interest (COI) Disclosure Statement annually. No studies will be reviewed without receipt of the disclosure statement.
The committee typically meets on the fourth Monday of each month.
If the investigator or a member of his/her study team has a conflict, the investigator will be contacted and will be provided with instructions on any further information or steps required.
For more information, please contact Michelle Benson, PhD.
The DSMB will monitor studies referred to by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and the Conflict of Interest in Research Committee. Data and safety monitoring is particularly appropriate for high risk research and for studies in which the investigator and/or the institution may have a potential conflict of interest.
The DSMB reports the outcomes of its deliberations to the referring body and makes recommendations to the IRB with respect to continuation, modification, or termination of the protocol. The DSMB has the authority to require protocol modifications related to participant safety and to recommend suspension or termination to the IRB and/or institution official of any research protocols that fall within its jurisdiction.
Meetings are the last Wednesday of the month.
For more information, please contact Linda Regensburg, CIC.
Click here for more information about reporting animal welfare concerns to the IACUC.
The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is charged with overseeing Hackensack Meridian Health’s animal program, facilities, and procedures. The committee is composed of at least 5 members, including a veterinarian, a scientist with experience in animal research, a non-scientist, and a lay person of the community not affiliated with the institution, except as a member of the IACUC.
The IACUC:
- Ensures that all laboratory research animals are treated humanely and receive care that is consistent with the Animal Welfare Act Regulations (AWAR), Public Health Service (PHS) Policy, IACUC Guidelines, and/or other applicable regulations, guidelines, and policies for the species and the type of research that is conducted.
- Reviews Hackensack Meridian Health’s program and facilities for humane care and use of animals, utilizing the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals as a basis for evaluation at least once every six months.
- Produces written reports with recommendations regarding any aspect of the Institution’s animal program, facilities, or personnel training.
- Investigates and reviews any reported concerns involving the care and use of animals at the Institution.
- Reviews all animal protocol applications and either approves, requires modifications in order to secure approval, or withholds approval of activities related to the care and use of animals.
Anyone interested in conducting research with animals should contact the IACUC Office at iacuc@hmhn.org.
Here are some important IACUC deadlines and meeting dates:
| Meeting Month | Meeting Date | Submission Deadline |
| January | January 15 | December 12, 2025 |
| February | February 19 | January 16, 2026 |
| March | March 19 | February 13, 2026 |
| April | April 16 | March 13, 2026 |
| May | May 21 | April 17, 2026 |
| June | June 18 | May 15, 2026 |
| July | July 16 | June 12, 2026 |
| August | August 20 | July 17, 2026 |
| September | September 17 | August 14, 2026 |
| October | October 15 | September 11, 2026 |
| November | November 19 | October 16, 2026 |
| December | December 17 | November 13, 2025 |
Please note the following regarding the protocol submission timeline (which begins 5 weeks prior to each IACUC meeting):
Week 1: Analyst and Veterinary pre-review (Monday to Monday after submission due date)
Week 2: Veterinary and Analyst responses due (Monday)
Week 2: Pre-review email sent to PI (Monday)
Week 3: PI Response (full week after Pre-review with PI responses due by the following Monday)
Week 4: Analyst review of PI responses (Monday and Tuesday)
Week 4: DMR Requests to the Committee (Starting Wed with FCR requests due by the following Monday at noon)
Week 4: Finalize IACUC meeting agenda based on FCR requests
Week 4: Tuesday to following Wednesday - Committee review of all FCR protocols
Week 5: Third Thursday of the month: IACUC meeting
The IACUC Education Schedule can be found here.
The Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) reviews all protocols utilizing recombinant DNA and/or Biosafety Level 3 biohazardous agents in both human and animal research. Approval from the IBC is required prior to submission to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) or the Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC).
The objective of the IBC is to assure compliance with the National Institutes of Health-Office of Biotechnology Activities (NIH-OBA) regulations in the conduct of research involving recombinant DNA and other biological hazardous material.
Biosafety training for researchers and staff involved in clinical trial studies is located on the Hackensack Meridian Health CITI training system. For pre-clinical researchers, training is provided via in-classroom sessions and online supplementary materials provided by the Office of Biological Safety.
The committee meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month, as needed.
Before commencing work with any of the following agents, any components thereof, or any attenuated strains, researchers must contact Sean Fitzgerald, Network Biosafety Officer, at sean.fitzgerald@hmhn.org or at 201-880-3661. He will need information about the intended agent and project and will provide guidance on what conditions must be in place to begin this type of work and whether a submission to the Dual Use Research of Concern Committee is required.
- Avian influenza virus (highly pathogenic)
- Bacillus anthracis
- Botulinum neurotoxin
- Burkholderia mallei
- Burkholderia pseudomallei
- Ebola virus
- Foot-and-mouth disease virus
- Francisella tularensis
- Marburg virus
- Reconstructed 1918 Influenza virus
- Rinderpest virus
- Toxin-producing strains of Clostridium botulinum
- Variola major virus
- Variola minor virus
- Yersinia pestis