Institutional Review Board Gains Accreditation

The University of Michigan's Human Research Protection Program, which UM-Flint's Institutional Review Board (IRB) is an integral part, was recently granted full accreditation by the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP). AAHRPP is a nationally recognized, nonprofit organization comprised of physicians, social and biological scientists, and attorneys. Marianne McGrath, chair, has worked for over three years to prepare the IRB for accreditation by improving board procedures and by offering education on ethical research practice to faculty, staff and students across campus.

"The IRB accreditation signifies to potential research participants and to granting agencies that we are committed to the highest standards in the protection of research participants," said McGrath

Stephen Forrest, U-M's vice president for research, wrote to "congratulate the entire team on a very arduous task that was professionally and patiently accomplished."

The UM-Flint IRB team includes Sally Conley (Core IRB Support Staff), and IRB members Roy Barnes, Constance Creech, Mary Jo Finney, Doris Clarke-Madison, Steven Myers, Suzanne Selig, John Sonnega, and community members Dr. Mark Anderson (Pediatrician, Hurley Medical Center) and Kristie Schmiege, (director of Substance Abuse Services, Genesee County Community Mental Health). Former IRB members Katherine Schellenberg and Janet Barnfather played key roles as well.

Part of the accreditation involved site visits and interviews of university officials, faculty, staff, students and community members. Interim Provost Vahid Lotfi, Mark Anderson, Roy Barnes, Janet Barnfather, Sally Conley, Connie Creech, Bradley Maki, Marianne McGrath, Kristie Schmiege, Suzanne Selig, and Beth Sheridan represented our campus.