September 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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Research Security Training Required for all Covered Personnel on Federal Proposals
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Federal funding agencies continue to place a strong emphasis on research security. To keep Pitt research compliant, the University now requires that all covered individuals (generally senior/key personnel) complete research security training within the 12 months before a new or competing proposal is submitted to any federal funding agency.
This policy mirrors the requirements of most major federal sponsors, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and some Department of Defense (DOD) directorates.
A few agencies cast a wider net:
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USDA extends the requirement beyond key personnel to any researcher on the project, including undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students, who contributes substantively to the science or has direct access to pre-publication data, and requires recertification every year of the award.
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NASA covers all PIs and Co-PIs regardless of effort, plus any Co-Investigator committing 10% or more effort to the award in any year.
A streamlined research security retraining module was implemented earlier this year. It is hosted on the CITI Program site, and you can download the course content from this link for reference; the requirement is met by passing the quiz on the CITI site.
Proposals cannot be submitted to a federal funding agency until all key/senior personnel have completed training within the required 12-month window prior to submission.
Questions? Contact the Office of Research Security and Trade Compliance at researchsecurity@pitt.edu.
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COGR has released a new issue brief and companion infographic examining an evolving approach to federal research security and foreign collaborations. Federal agencies are increasingly moving away from individualized, risk-based reviews and toward broader, list-based restrictions.
The issue brief identifies five emerging shifts:
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From research characteristics to researcher characteristics
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From disclosure requirements to eligibility determinations
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From agency-specific restrictions to government-wide prohibitions
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From reviews of individual transactions to scrutiny of continuing relationships
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From legal compliance requirements to institutional risk management
Researchers and administrators are encouraged to review the Research Security and Collaborations of Concern issue brief and its accompanying infographic to better understand these developing policy trends.
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The Department of Treasury through its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced a rule last month suspending indefinitely certain standard authorizations under the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR), the long-standing US sanctions program covering Iran. These suspensions now require the University to obtain a written license from OFAC for any of the following activities:
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Travel to Iran to engage in teaching, research or to attend a conference;
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Remote/virtual participation in conferences, research, teaching or data collection with individuals located in Iran;
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Entering into any type of an agreement with an Iranian institution or business.
Iranian nationals currently at Pitt on a US visa may continue to perform activities commensurate with their visa type. The University is preparing additional guidance on this topic that will be circulated shortly. In the interim, please reach out to the Office of Research Security & Trade Compliance at researchsecurity@pitt.edu with any questions.
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Research Security and Foreign Engagement: Where to Find Answers
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Over the past several years, a growing number of federal regulations have strengthened research security requirements and introduced new compliance obligations for interactions with investigators at foreign institutions. To help the research community navigate these changes, Senior Vice Chancellors Rob Rutenbar, Joseph McCarthy, and Anantha Shekhar recently shared answers to frequently asked questions about research security and foreign engagement.
In addition, the Office of Research Security and Trade Compliance maintains a Foreign Engagement in Federally Funded Research page that addresses the questions investigators ask most often.
On September 11, the Office of Research Protections hosted a webinar on what investigators need to know now about foreign engagement. If you missed it, a recording of the webinar is available on Panopto.
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New Biosafety Requirements Are Coming
Two recent federal actions will reshape biosafety oversight at the University: a new government-wide policy on high-risk life sciences research, and a draft NIH biosafety policy that is now open for public comment.
U.S. Government Policy for Stopping High-Risk Life Sciences Research
On July 28, the White House released the United States Government Policy for Stopping High-Risk Life Sciences Research. The policy prohibits federal funding for dangerous gain-of-function research and bars federal support for life sciences research involving countries, institutions, or individuals designated as entities of concern. Other international research may proceed only after a risk-based review of the foreign partner’s biosafety and biosecurity oversight.
Once fully implemented, investigators submitting proposals for federal life sciences funding will need to determine whether their proposed work constitutes dangerous or potentially dangerous gain-of-function research, as defined in the policy and forthcoming funding-agency guidance, and attest to that determination in writing. The University, in turn, will certify that every proposal has been evaluated for gain-of-function and international research concerns. Federal agencies have until mid-November to issue implementation guidance, and institutions must have their review structures, policies, and annual training in place by January 16, 2027. Investigators who conduct life sciences research should expect new requirements to take effect in early 2027. We will share details as agency guidance is released.
Draft NIH Biosafety Policy for Research Involving Biohazards
On August 19, NIH issued a request for comment on its Draft NIH Biosafety Policy for Research Involving Biohazards. When finalized, the policy will replace the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules. Its scope is considerably broader: in addition to genetically modified materials, it covers wild-type human pathogens, toxins, prions, and primary cells, which means more research will require Institutional Biosafety Committee review than under the current guidelines. It applies to all research at NIH-funded institutions regardless of funding source, and it requires public posting of IBC meeting minutes and biosafety incident reports.
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Comments are due October 19, 2026 and may be submitted through NIH’s online comment form. Please submit comments in your individual capacity; comments on behalf of the University will be submitted separately. |
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To ensure consistency of personnel data across systems used by Pitt Research offices, Pitt-managed profiles in HSConnect will now automatically synchronize with information maintained by Pitt Human Resources rather than relying on self-reported updates.
As a result, the name displayed in Office of Research Protections systems—including PittPRO, ARO and MyIBC—may change and may not reflect a user’s preferred name. This also may affect searches within these systems. If you cannot locate someone under the name previously associated with their account, try searching for the name listed in the individual’s Pitt HR profile.
Faculty and staff who would like to review or update their information can manage their personnel data and profile through the Pitt Worx portal by signing in with their University username and password through Pitt Passport.
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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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Radiation-producing equipment, for example, electron microscopes or cabinet x-ray units, and Radioactive Materials require prior approval by Radiation Safety because they have regulatory requirements that must be met upon purchase and/or installation. Please check the “Radioactive” button in Panther Express when placing an order for those items so that it will be routed appropriately for review and approval by the Radiation Safety team.
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