Clinical Research Ethics Consultation Service

We assist clinical investigators in identifying and addressing the ethical challenges that frequently arise when designing or conducting research with human subjects.

We provide free consultation on the following:

  • Ethical issues related to research design
  • Tissue banking
  • Genetic research results
  • Informed consent
  • Working with vulnerable patient populations

Examples of ethical challenges that may arise:

  • Sampling design
  • Randomized and placebo-controlled studies
  • Participant recruitment and informed consent
  • Return of individual-level research results
  • Community engagement processes
  • More

This service does not replace any portion of the IRB review process at the UI, and CRECS functions independently of the IRB. 

CRECS is located within the Program of Bioethics and Humanities (PBH). 

Cost of service

This service is free to all UI investigators thanks to support provided by the ICTS.

CRECS faculty

The consultants are full-time UI faculty from the Carver College of Medicine who have expertise in research ethics. They each have served as members of institutional review boards, and have published widely on medical ethics.  

The faculty consultants are also experienced extramurally funded researchers themselves, thus bringing to the consultation table an intuitive grasp of the challenges many investigators face. In some cases, consultants may need to refer investigators to other content experts at the UI.

CRECS faculty do not:

  • Provide consultations regarding matters of law, regulation, or institutional policy. On these matters, researchers will be referred to existing resources elsewhere at the institution, such as the Vice President for Research, the Division of Sponsored Programs, and the Office of General Counsel.
  • Consultations involving specific patients or specific research subjects
  • Consultations related to issues of animal use and care

Contact information:

Consultations are available weekdays during normal business hours, by appointment only.

Lauris Kaldjian, MD, PhD

Researchers may request their preferred level of confidentiality. CRECS functions independently of the IRB.

 

Help the Institute for Clinical and Translational Science at the University of Iowa continue making new strides in medical research by citing the NIH CTSA program grant UM1TR004403.