October 2026 Newsletter
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Stay up-to-date with the latest news and resources from the Office of Research Protections (ORP)
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ORP SEMINAR SERIES
Virtual Town Hall: Implementing the New Federal Policy on High-Risk Life Sciences Research
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Friday, November 20, 2026
Noon–1 p.m. ET | Virtual event on Zoom
The United States Government Policy for Stopping High-Risk Life Sciences Research, issued July 20, 2026, requires research institutions to have new oversight measures in place by January 16, 2027. The Office of Research Protections invites researchers, laboratory staff and research administrators to a Virtual Town Hall to share feedback on how the University should implement the policy.
Can’t attend, or have a question you’d like addressed? Submit your questions and comments in advance.
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The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has issued new guidance on when working with a researcher outside the United States requires advance approval from the agency. The guidance, in the form of common scenarios encountered by investigators, comes from a September discussion between NIH and the Federal Demonstration Partnership, a group of federal agencies and research institutions.
NIH categorizes collaborations where a meaningful part of an NIH-funded project is carried out outside the U.S. as a "foreign component." This applies even when no grant money goes to a foreign institution or company. NIH must approve a foreign component before the work begins.
Restricted organizations. The federal government maintains lists of companies and institutions that U.S. researchers are restricted from working with. NIH’s guidance applies even if the relationship began before the organization was listed.
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Equipment: NIH advises institutions to stop using equipment made or supplied by a restricted company, even if it was purchased earlier.
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Materials and data: End the collaboration, and stop using materials or datasets previously received from that organization.
Countries of concern. NIH currently names China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran. Requests for a foreign component in these countries will likely be denied. NIH advises researchers to begin planning for this now.
If you are unsure whether a collaboration needs approval after reviewing the scenarios, contact researchsecurity@pitt.edu before the work begins.
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Using AI in Grant Applications: What Funding Agencies Require
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Investigators may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help prepare grant applications, but the major federal funding agencies now attach conditions.
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National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Under NOT-OD-25-132, now part of NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 2.3.7.13, NIH will not consider an application, or any section of one, that is “substantially developed by AI” to be the applicant’s original idea. AI may assist only with “limited aspects” of preparation, and NIH has not defined “substantially.” NIH uses technology to detect AI-generated content. If AI use is detected after an award is made, NIH may refer the matter to the Office of Research Integrity for a research misconduct review
and take enforcement action, up to termination of the award.
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National Science Foundation (NSF)
NSF permits AI in proposal preparation and encourages proposers to state in the project description whether and how they used it. Effective December 8, 2025, NSF revised its definition of research misconduct to include fabrication, falsification or plagiarism committed through AI-based tools.
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National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
The Science Mission Directorate does not prohibit generative AI, but any use must be cited in the proposal’s references section with the program name, version number, date and time of use, and a statement of how it was used.
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BEFORE YOU SUBMIT
To avoid rejection of a proposal or a finding of research misconduct, verify every citation and factual claim an AI tool produces, and disclose AI use as each agency requires or requests.
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NEW AT PITT
RefGuard Checks Your References Before Reviewers Do
The University has expanded its Proofig AI enterprise license to include RefGuard. Proofig AI checks the images in scientific manuscripts to help protect research and image integrity; RefGuard does the same for your citations, checking every reference in a manuscript against the published record. It flags retracted papers, hallucinated citations and references that may not support the claims they are cited for, and it scores the quality and balance of your reference list.
To use either tool, log in to the Proofig AI website with your Pitt SSO and open the PubShield hub.
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Authorship Disputes? The Authorship Resolution Committee is Here to Help
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When co-authors cannot agree on who should be listed as an author on a paper, or in what order, the University’s Authorship Resolution Committee can help. Authors should first try to resolve the disagreement among themselves, with help from a neutral party such as a department chair or senior faculty member if needed.
If those efforts are unsuccessful, any author involved may ask the committee to review the dispute. The committee, appointed by the Senior Vice Chancellor for Research, provides an impartial, nonbinding opinion to help the authors reach a resolution.
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Selecting a Journal: Finding the Right Place for Your Work
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Are you new to publishing, or interested in learning more about the publishing process? The Health Sciences Library System (HSLS) is offering a one-hour introductory class that explains how publishing works. In “Selecting a journal: finding the right place for your work,” you’ll gain an understanding of the common publishing models (including subscription and open access journals), copyright policies, journal matching tools, and how to use journal metrics to find impactful publications in your field. This class is open to students, faculty and
staff who publish or have an interest in publishing.
Join HSLS for this online class on Friday, November 6, from 3 to 4 p.m. Registration is required.
For more synchronous and asynchronous classes on article publication and other topics, visit Learn @ HSLS.
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Disposing of Controlled Substances Used in Research
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The University of Pittsburgh’s Controlled Substance Guidelines require that expired or unwanted containers of controlled substances (containing a residual volume) must be discarded through a Reverse Distributor.
To reduce costs and to simplify the process of discarding expired or unwanted controlled substances, the Department of Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) has arranged for a Reverse Distributor (Heritage Environmental Services) to visit Campus on a quarterly basis.
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2027 Controlled Substance Pickup Dates:
■ Wednesday, January 13, 2027
■ Wednesday, April 14, 2027
■ Wednesday, July 14, 2027
■ Wednesday, October 13, 2027
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The first step in the proper disposal of DEA controlled substances is to complete the Unwanted/Expired Controlled Substances Disposal Form and submit it to Pitt EH&S via fax (412-624-8524) or email. A valid, unexpired DEA registration is required to participate in the Reverse Distributor program and the above-referenced disposal form must be submitted to EH&S at least a week in advance of the designated collection date to participate in the given collection.
Submittal of this disposal form in advance is required by the Reverse Distributor in order to be placed on the schedule for a designated collection date. Upon receipt of the completed disposal form, EH&S will provide additional collection information (e.g. location, time, etc.).
There is no cost to University personnel with a valid/unexpired DEA registration disposing of materials through this quarterly Reverse Distributor schedule. Use of a reverse distributor on dates not included in the quarterly schedule may be arranged by contacting EH&S, but the associated disposal costs shall be the responsibility of the DEA registrant’s department.
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Help Us Share Stories of Responsible Animal Research
Pitt Research is revamping its public-facing Animal Research website to help community members better understand the University’s commitment to the compassionate, responsible care of animals involved in research.
As part of this effort, we are seeking stories from researchers whose work involves animals. We want to highlight the thoughtful care provided to research animals, the people who support their well-being, and the scientific and medical advances made possible through this work.
Researchers are invited to share examples that demonstrate how animal welfare is prioritized throughout a study, as well as discoveries that have contributed—or may contribute—to improvements in human or animal health. These stories will help the public better understand both the care behind the research and its broader impact.
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Animal research at Pitt is overseen at three levels
Federal law. The University is registered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a research facility under the Animal Welfare Act and holds an Animal Welfare Assurance with the NIH Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare, a binding commitment to follow the Public Health Service Policy on the Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.
Institutional review. Every study involving animals must be reviewed and approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) before it begins. The IACUC, which includes veterinarians, scientists, and members of the community unaffiliated with the University, also inspects animal facilities at least twice a year and can suspend any activity that does not meet its standards.
Independent accreditation. Pitt is accredited by AAALAC International, a voluntary program in which outside experts evaluate the entire animal care and use program against standards that go beyond what the law requires.
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Have a story to share? Contact Bill Yates, Vice Chancellor for Research Protections, at vcorp@pitt.edu to learn more or submit an idea.
To learn more about how animal welfare is protected in research, visit Americans for Medical Progress. The Come See Our World website offers photographs that show the everyday reality of animal research.
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ORP TRAINING
Upcoming Training Opportunities
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Consider signing up for these training opportunities offered by the Office of Research Protections:
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