Skip to main content
Close menu William & Mary
Popular Topics
Suggested Results
News Events
William & Mary
Resources FOR...
Resources FOR...
Research Compliance

Research Committees

Under federal regulations, certain classes of activity require formal review before they may be undertaken by employees or students of the university.

Collapsible content

Vertebrate Animals

The William & Mary Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) oversees research protocols using live vertebrates to ensure their humane care and treatment.

Living Human Subjects

The William & Mary Institutional Review Board (IRB) is an administrative body charged with overseeing protocols involving human participants, including survey research or questionnaires.

Recombinant DNA & Infectious Agents

The William & Mary Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), managed by Environmental Health & Safety office, regulates work with recombinant DNA technology set forth by the NIH and oversees broader biosafety issues. This includes direct or indirect contact with wild-caught animals that may harbor infectious agents, or any human fluid or tissue.

  • Oversight of Select Agents falls under the purview of Environmental Health & Safety.
  • See a complete list of select agents and toxins.
  • Questions in regard to select agents should be directed to [[tbelback,Teresa Belback, Director of EH&S]].
  • VIMS and Eastern Shore Laboratory personnel need to contact VIMS Manager of Safety & Environmental Programs, Eric Fidler, before the purchase of any select agent.

Radioactive Material

The William & Mary Radiation Safety Committee (RSC) provides oversight and support to faculty, staff and students at William & Mary to ensure the safe and appropriate use of radioactive materials.

Native American Remains and Sacred Objects

The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 and associated regulations govern the return of Native American remains, funerary objects, sacred objects and objects of cultural patrimony to lineal descendants, culturally affiliated Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations.

By law, reviews of work in any of the above classes must be performed by duly constituted committees appointed by, and reporting to, senior administrators of the university. To enable these reviews, investigators must submit proposals to perform work involving these regulated activities. The proposals must describe the detailed, step-by-step protocols and procedures that will be used in the performance of the work. Any changes in the authorized proposal must be submitted via an amendment during the period of approval. Additionally, please note that this sort of review is required for survey work that may be done in scheduled classes or laboratories.

We want to emphasize that W&M policy mandates that those individuals who will perform, or intend to perform, a particular activity involving these regulated areas may not judge for themselves whether that activity is exempt from formal review.

Research submitted to an external funding agency requires compliance committee approval prior to the Office of Sponsored Programs creating a fiscal account for the research activity. The PI must provide OSP with protocol title and date of approval.