The Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) provides oversight for all research activities involving human participants at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The HRPP is a collective effort of all who participate in the conduct, review, approval, and facilitation of human participants research at UW–Madison. These groups work closely together to ensure the ethical, safe, and legal conduct of human research.

Read more about the HRPP mission.

The HRPP strives to uphold the highest ethical, safety, quality, and regulatory standards in research involving human participants at UW-Madison and its affiliates. The HRPP is also responsible for ensuring compliance with federal regulations, state laws, and institutional policies.

The HRPP:

  • promotes the welfare and rights of human research participants
  • facilitates excellence in human research, and
  • provides education, timely review, and comprehensive monitoring for human research projects.

To safeguard the rights and welfare of human research subjects, UW-Madison adheres to the principles of The Belmont Report, as described here.

As part of the HRPP, the Institutional Review Boards Office is home to two IRBs on campus. These IRBs review all human subject research protocols in accordance with applicable federal regulations, state laws, and local and university policies.

  • The Health Sciences IRB: Reviews research protocols involving medical interventions or procedures where medical expertise is required for evaluation.
  • The Minimal Risk Research IRB: Reviews research protocols that present minimal risk to subjects, including medical interventions or procedures requiring medical expertise or knowledge of the health care setting and human participants research occurring within the social and behavioral sciences.

News

Introducing New IRB Analysts

October 31, 2024

We are excited to announce that the IRB’s Minimal Risk Research team has two new analysts joining the team in November.

Read more

Uploading Revised Documents

October 23, 2024

Please use “Upload Revision” instead of deleting and then adding files that are revisions to existing documents.

Read more

Updating Personnel

October 23, 2024

If you are updating your project to add or remove people from the list of key personnel, please use our self-service tool.

Read more

Special Topics

Reliance & Navigation

The Reliance and Navigation Team (RELIANT) assists researchers with collaborative and multisite research issues and provides support to researchers in navigating institutional requirements.

Link to the full page

Toolkit Manuals

To supplement the Toolkit documents, the Investigator and Reliance Manuals are designed to guide you through policies and procedures related to the conduct of Human Research.

Link to the full page

Information for IRB Members

Resources to support IRB members in their reviews of research protocols.

Link to the full page

IRB Meeting Dates

Meeting dates for the Health Sciences and Minimal Risk Research IRB panels.

Link to the full page

IRB QI/Program Evaluation Self-Certification Tool

This tool is designed to help determine whether the project constitutes research or whether it is quality improvement or program evaluation.

Link to the full page
UW-Madison Science Hall pictured

Interested in Becoming an IRB Member?

We are looking for individuals interested in partnering with UW to protect the rights and welfare of our research participants by serving as an IRB member.

Link to the full page