Catch the latest news, tips and advice that supports you and
 Florida Atlantic University in building a culture of research compliance.
Jan.- Feb. 2020
Staff Changes

Andrew Donovan, Institutional Biosafety Committee Coordinator

The new year has brought several changes to the Research Integrity (RI) team. We are excited to introduce Andrew (Drew) Donovan as our new Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) coordinator. A fellow owl, Donovan graduated with a bachelor’s degree in physics from the FAU Honors College. 

Donovan has spent 10 years as the director of Palm Beach Environmental Laboratories, overseeing laboratory operations, maintaining lab procedures based on regulation, writing standard operating procedures and quality control documentation and other duties.

In his role as the IBC coordinator he will help build the IBC program, while reviewing project registrations regarding the use of recombinant DNA, biological toxins, as well as infectious and select agents. He will also assist researchers in registering with the IBC, and work with the Environmental, Health and Safety team, faculty and staff, coordinating the reviews and meetings of the IBC. We are thrilled to have him join team RI. 
Danae Montgomery, Human Research Protection Program Coordinator

It is bittersweet to report that Danae Montgomery, MPH, is no longer with FAU. Montgomery had been the Institutional Review Board (IRB) Coordinator since 2016 before being promoted to the role of IRB and Quality Improvement Specialist where she conducted Quality Assurance visits to labs, coordinated monthly IRB committee meetings and provided IRB training workshops.

She also developed content for how-to videos and guides for IRB processes, and worked with faculty, staff and student researchers on preparing submissions to the IRB. 

Before working at FAU, Montgomery worked as a research coordinator in the medical field assisting researchers with project development and ensuring compliance with IRB and U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations, serving as a liaison between the hospitals and partners. 

Her courteous service to the FAU community and her cheerful smile around the office will be missed. We wish her the best as she embarks on a new season in life. 

For questions or assistance with IRB please contact Donna Simonovitch at dsimonovitch@fau.edu.
Ximena Levy, Associate Director of Human Research Protection Program

Ximena Levy, MD, MPH, has taken on a new role as the director for the FAU Clinical Research Unit (CRU). She has been working on the Research Integrity team for more than four years, and has experience as a medical doctor with a comprehensive career in research for more than 18 years.

Working closely with the other members of the Division of Research, she will oversee the CRU, including the scientific, regulatory, operational and financial processes of the unit. She will also work to ensure that FAU research investigators and staff have the training, resources and support needed to conduct high-quality, collaborative, innovative clinical and translational research. She will continue to assist the Research Integrity team managing the IRB and the Human Research Protection Program while recruitment is underway for the associate director position. 

Congratulations in her new role! 
IACUC Updates
IACUC Semi-annual Facility Inspections

Spring semi-annual facility inspection dates will occur mid-April and will be announced two to four weeks ahead of inspections.
IACUC Meeting Dates and Application Deadlines

IACUC protocol applications and amendments to IACUC protocols using the U.S. Department of Agriculture pain category D and E procedures require full committee review and must be submitted to the IACUC office by the application deadline for consideration at the monthly IACUC meeting.
All-Hands Meeting Updates

Research Integrity hosted an all-hands animal researchers end-of-year update meeting and pizza lunch on Dec. 11, 2019. Updates were presented by Tim Theisen, Ph.D., IACUC chair, Wendy Ash-Graves, Environment, Health and Safety director, Kristen Ware, Ph.D., and Sylvia Gografe, DVM, Ph.D., DACLAM.
Read All Hands Meeting Summary here.
Update to IACUC policy 10.4.22 Researcher Training
 
The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) personnel training policy has been revised to include new procedures related to training and/or demonstration of proficiency related to performance of surgeries in rodents.
Read the full IACUC updates here.
Training

Request traveling Institutional Review Board 101 Training in Your Classroom                    

If you would like your students to have guidance in the research submission process to the IRB, schedule the Research Integrity’s Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) staff to speak to your class. Faculty and students have requested an IRB 101 and found the overview to be informative and beneficial. Staff will present an IRB 101 hands-on overview or discuss questions or concerns before submitting an IRB new project application. You may also request a private workshop for your students to attend at the Research Integrity office. Contact the Human Research Protections Program Manager Donna Simonovitch, dsimonovitch@fau.edu .

Diving and Boating Board

Collaborators at Environmental, Health and Safety (EH&S) announce that the new Skillsoft EH&S training platform is now live on the EH&S website. From the Skillsoft training site, you can search hundreds of EH&S course titles and take required training. EH&S offers additional training requirements for researchers submitting to the Institutional Biosafety Committee training, as well as required training for researchers engaged in diving and boating. 

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

Monthly training is available for all personnel (including faculty, staff and students) conducting animal research at FAU. The 2020 training dates for Boca, Jupiter and Harbor Branch campuses are available on the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee training calendar. To register on the training calendar, click here.
 
Training Calendar & Training Monthly Office Hours

Monthly training is available for researchers working with human or animal subjects. Check out the training calendars to register now. We invite you to set an appointment for IRB or IACUC related questions – even before submitting your protocol – by clicking these training calendars:
24-hour Cancellation Rule

Please notify Helen Munchow if you are unable to attend an IACUC hands-on-training workshop for which you've already registered.

Contact Dana Mulvaney for ethics training workshops cancellations. Notifications must be submitted at least 24 hours before training.
IRB Virtual Assistance on Canvas

We have launched an “IRB Education Course” on Canvas. This learning community serves as a virtual assistance and training platform, allowing you to get answers you need any time, from any device, and to connect with Human Research Protections Program staff or other researchers.
To learn more,  click here .
Check Out the Beacon Online
The archived editions of  The Beacon  can be found online  here .  
Please share with colleagues or use as references to our tips and hints!
If you have any questions, please contact us at researchintegrity@fau.edu or Elisa Gaucher .