The University of Southern Maine’s Office of Research Integrity has two separate federally registered collaborative IRBs: Social Behavioral and Biomedical
At this time our IRB is the ‘IRB of record’ for several institutions throughout Maine and the rest of the country. These institutions include but are not limited to: higher education entities, State agencies, and hospitals.
Such an arrangement would provide access to resources and subject matter expertise without additional cost and perhaps even generate some savings. If you do not currently have a board to review research projects, we would be happy to serve as your reviewing board so that your institution can participate in research otherwise unavailable without an IRB.
If you have an interest in such a collaboration, please do not hesitate to contact the Office of Research Integrity and Outreach!
USMORIO@maine.edu
207-780-4517
The University of Southern Maine has a unique collaborative IRB model where many institutions have members on the Board.
Human Subject Research Protection Program (HRPP)
If you are interested in becoming a Board Member, please fill out the inquiry form.
Cary Medical Center
Choice Research Associates
Colorado Division of Criminal Justice
Council of State Governments (Ltd) Justice Center
Covenant Health, Inc
Crime Research Group
Gulf of Maine Research Institute
Maine College of Health Professionals
Maine Department of Corrections
Maine Department of Education
Maine Department of Health and Human Services
Maine Maritime Academy
Maine State Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous, and Tribal Populations
Portland Public Health
Select Medical Corporation
University of Maine at Augusta
University of Maine at Farmington
University of Maine at Presque Isle
University of Southern Maine
| Social and Behavioral IRB | Biomedical IRB |
|---|---|
| R. Bruce Thompson, PhD Chair, Social Behavioral IRB University of Southern Maine | Jenae Limoges, MD Chair, Biomedical IRB Community Member |
| George Shaler, MPH Vice Chair, Social Behavioral IRB University of Southern Maine | Debra Gillespie, PhD, RN Vice Chair, Biomedical IRB University of Southern Maine |
| Nancy Birkhimer, MPH Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention | Susan Belanger, PhD, MA, RN, NEA-BC Covenant Health, Inc |
| Alexander Clifford, PhD Community Member | Rachel Brown, PhD, NCSP University of Southern Maine |
| Shawn Flower, PhD Choice Research Associates | Ann Curtis, DNP RN Maine College of Health Professionals |
| Joel Gilbert, MHRT/C Maine Department of Corrections | Regen Gallagher, DO Cary Medical Center |
| Ross Hickey, JD CIP CPIA University of Southern Maine | Lynne Gotjen, PhD, MSN, RN Maine College of Health Professionals |
| William Jenkins, PhD University of Maine at Presque Isle | Ross Hickey, JD CIP CPIA University of Southern Maine |
| Danielle Jolie, JD University of Southern Maine | Danielle Jolie, JD University of Southern Maine |
| Peter Miller, RN, CNE Central Maine Community College | Stacey Mondschein Katz, JD Maine Department of Health and Human Services |
| Joseph Moser, PhD Maine Maritime Academy | |
| Michael Rocque, PhD Bates College | |
| Caroline Shanti, PhD, LCSW University of Southern Maine | |
| Julie Simpson, PhD University of New Hampshire | |
| Andrea Stairs-Davenport, PhD University of Southern Maine | |
| Brandon Stewart, PhD University of Southern Maine | |
| Leeann Sullivan, PhS State of Maine, Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous, and Tribal Populations |
The University of Southern Maine received the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Program (AAHRPP) accreditation September 2022. AAHRPP is an international, independent nonprofit organization that reviews and accredits an institution’s human research protections program (HRPP).
Why is this important?
ORIO has voluntarily gone through the rigor of accreditation for research participants. AAHRPP standards go “above and beyond” and recognize additional requirements that must be met should research be supported by other entities, such as the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Department of Justice (DoJ) funded research regarding human subjects.
USM’s Office of Research Integrity and Outreach (ORIO) is offering to review non-USM research projects as a service to the general community of Maine in an effort to help foster academic and scientific efforts in the pursuit of knowledge.
We realize that for many institutions, it is not practical to maintain a standing review committee, yet their external funding requires formal IRB approval. If you are an institution or individual investigator in need of a review by a federally registered IRB with a federal-wide assurance, we would be very happy to offer our review services to you.
The fee schedule for this service can be found below. If the potential protocol volume is substantial, i.e. more than a dozen projects to review a year, we are happy to discuss a flat annual rate to be paid and not a per protocol review fee, increasing their savings.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us at usmorio@maine.edu (207) 780-4517.
Fee Schedule (pdf)
External IRB Review Request (Google form)
Meet the team – typically a Zoom call
As applicable, set up/sign the agreement
External to USM and want to recruit USM student, faculty, and/or staff for research (Google form)
–Sample form (pdf) – Policy (pdf)
IRB Review of University of Maine System (UMS) Cooperative Research (Section 601)
Another IRB wants to rely on USM’s review and approval of a research project (Google form)
–Sample form (pdf)
USM/Collaborative IRB would be relying on another IRB’s review and approval of your research project (Google form)
–Sample form (pdf)
IRB Organization (IORG)#: IORG0001507
The Federalwide assurance number for USM is FWA00001748
IRB 1953, U of Southern Maine IRB #1, Portland, OHRP Only, Active: Social Behavioral
IRB 11534, U of Southern Maine IRB #2, Portland, OHRP/FDA, Active: Biomedical
New/Renew Federalwide Assurance (FWA) instructions