Pitt Research
Office of Research Protections

New Guidelines for the Responsible Conduct of Research

The Office of Research Protections recently prepared updated guidelines for research and scholarly work at the University.  The purpose of these guidelines is to provide University standards for maintaining the integrity and quality of our research activities.

Ethical conduct of research and honest communications are required in all scholarly studies. Attention to best research practices leads to faster progress, improved reproducibility, and more productive collaborations among investigators.  Maintaining good public opinion toward our sciences depends on responsible professional conduct as well as high-impact research discoveries.

Institutional Conflict of Interest Committee


The University approved the Institutional Conflict of Interest Policy in June 2022. Under this Policy, a new Institutional Conflict of Interest Committee (ICOIC) was created. The ICOIC is a standing University committee that, with the support of ORP's Conflict of Interest Division, reviews certain transactions to ensure that the University's financial interests do not compromise the objectivity or integrity of or unduly influence the University's core missions of research, scholarship, and teaching, or appear to have such an effect.

The ICOIC includes faculty representation from multiple schools within the University, as well as staff, community and UPMC representation, and is Co-Chaired by Drs. Chris Bonneau, Professor of Political Science, and Lisa Parker, Professor of Human Genetics. 

If you have any questions about the committee and its role at the University, please email icoi@pitt.edu.

PERIS Project Upgrades


The PERIS™ project is underway to upgrade and integrate the University’s research systems. The Office of Research Protection’s MyIBC (Institutional Biosafety) system is currently being upgraded, and a new IACUC protocol system will be launched in the 2023-24 calendar year. These upgrades will deliver updates to the end-user experience, streamlined data entry with standardized procedure and substance libraries, and future functional integrations with other research systems, such as MyFunding. ORP will provide more details, such as progress reports and training materials, throughout the project.

If you have questions regarding the PERIS™ project, please contact Natalie Kaczmarek at nem44@pitt.edu.

Checklist for Investigators Leaving the University


Closing down research studies requires advance planning. If you will be leaving the University in the coming months, please complete the online Checklist for Investigators Leaving the University as far in advance as possible.

Completion of this form will alert the relevant University offices, which will be in contact to ensure that your research at the University is terminated appropriately. In addition to completing this form, the departing investigator must notify their primary department administrator well in advance of their departure.

A downloadable version of the checklist is also available.

Help Inform Research Security Training


Pitt has been chosen as one of a small consortium of academic institutions to provide a training module to the federal government on how best to create research security training frameworks that address U.S.-funded research and development security concerns, risks and threats. Following the National Science Foundation announcement of four connected awards, ORP is seeking participants at the University for a virtual focus group to provide insights.

Focus groups will allow the team to gauge current knowledge and practices in assessing and managing collaborations and protecting unpublished information, data, and intellectual capital and property; tools and resources utilized; and awareness of potential security risks and measures to mitigate risk. Feedback from these focus groups will be critical to developing effective training for the U.S. research community.

Volunteers at all academic levels at Pitt -- from graduate students to professors, as well as research administrators -- are invited to participate. To express interest in this virtual focus group, please complete this registration form.

Pitt is collaborating with the University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania, University of Wisconsin-Madison and Van Andel Institute to create the training module focused on Risk Management and Mitigation. The module will examine actions researchers and their institutions can take to assess, reduce and manage security risks to ongoing, planned and unpublished research data.

New DEA Researchers Guide


The DEA recently posted a new DEA Researchers Guide on its website. Find guidance about the following topics:

  • Controlled drug schedules
  • DEA registration requirements
  • Recordkeeping requirements
  • Inventory requirements
  • Drug security
  • Disposal of controlled substances

The University's implementation of the DEA requirements is described in the Controlled Substance Guidelines, as well as the Controlled Substances Disposal page.

This webinar also provides information about requirements for use of controlled substances for research at Pitt.

ORP Support Service


Need help in ensuring that your research meets regulatory requirements and ethical standards?

Then use the ORP Support Service!

Just answer a few questions and we will put you in touch with the right professionals to help facilitate your research.

United Way Campaign


No one organization brings together all the essential players to make real change possible like United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania. They've built a strong network of community leaders, corporations, donors, philanthropists and human-service agencies, marshalling the resources and experience where they can do the most good.

Whether you're joining our Pitt Research United Way Team in one of our events or through our Pitt United Way website, please consider donating! #ChangemakersUnite

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