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The HRPP Insider
Updates from the Human Research Protection Program serving Brown University, Brown University Health, and Care New England.
September 2026
Where We Are Now: Your HRPP, Your Resources, and What’s Next
It has been several months since the Brown University Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) completed its alignment across Brown University, Brown University Health (BUH), and Care New England (CNE), followed by the migration of active research projects into Huron IRB.
IRBNet data was migrated on May 22, 2026. Since then, 3,697 submissions have entered Huron IRB and 91.13% are in a final state (board outcome letter sent). More than 20 HRPP professionals—including administrators, single IRB specialists, regulatory advisors, compliance managers, and leadership—work together to make IRB review as efficient, consistent, and compliant as possible
As we settle into our aligned structure and processes, this month’s HRPP Insider is an opportunity to revisit who we are, how the HRPP is organized, and where to go when you need support.
Meet the HRPP
The HRPP brings together several areas of expertise to support the Brown research community throughout the lifecycle of human subjects research.
Our organizational structure includes:
HRPP Administration — Supports the day-to-day administration and operations of the HRPP and IRB.
Single IRB (sIRB) Designees — Supports reliance and single IRB activities for studies involving multiple institutions.
Regulatory Advising — Provides guidance to researchers on regulatory requirements, study design, submissions, and compliance questions.
Quality & Compliance — Conducts quality improvement and compliance activities designed to strengthen human research protections and promote consistent practices.
HRPP Leadership — Provides strategic oversight and direction for the HRPP and its programs.
Together, these teams provide a coordinated resource for researchers—from initial questions about whether a project requires IRB review through study closure.
Looking for someone specific?
View the complete HRPP Directory to find team members, areas of responsibility, and contact information.
Regulatory Advisors: Your First Stop for Regulatory Questions
The Regulatory Advising Unit (RAU) is available to help researchers navigate questions about human subjects research requirements and Brown’s HRPP processes.
Regulatory Advisors can help with questions related to:
Whether a proposed activity may constitute human subjects research
IRB submission and review requirements
Determining the appropriate submission pathway
Study modifications and continuing IRB requirements
Informed consent and recruitment considerations
Regulatory requirements and institutional policies
Huron IRB submission questions
General questions about conducting human subjects research at Brown
When in doubt, ask. Researchers do not need to have a fully formed question—or know exactly which HRPP process applies—before reaching out. Regulatory Advisors can help identify the appropriate next step.
How to Contact a Regulatory Advisor
Researchers can book a consultation with a Regulatory Advisor through SHIP, or contact the Regulatory Advising team through regulatoryadvising@brown.edu.
For questions that may benefit from discussion or consultation, we encourage researchers to reach out early in the research planning process. Early regulatory guidance can help prevent delays later in the submission or study lifecycle.
HRPP Toolkit Reminder
Use the Web-Based Library
The web-based HRPP Toolkit Library is the source for current policies, SOPs, templates, worksheets, checklists, and other HRPP resources.
The Huron Library will be archived to reduce confusion and prevent outdated or duplicate resources from circulating.
Going forward, please use the web-based Toolkit Library for all HRPP resources.
Huron Reminder
Updating Your Email Address
A quick reminder for anyone using Huron IRB:
If you need to update your registered email address or preferred email address in Huron,
If you have Brown credentials, you must change the email in Workday.
All others, you must submit an BIRCH Support Ticket.
This includes situations where:
Your institutional email address has changed
You have a new or updated Brown, BUH, or CNE email address
You want to change which email address is designated as your preferred address
Submitting a BIRCH Support Ticket ensures that your Huron registration and account information can be updated appropriately.
sIRB Support
Applies to Single IRB and Reliance Studies
As a reminder, when submitting to an external IRB for review, you must use the updated local contact information for informed consent and HIPAA Authorization documents.
Informed Consent IRB Contact:
Participants should always be provided with contact information for the reviewing IRB. If additional local contact information is requested for site-specific contact, please use:
irb@brown.edu or (401) 863-3050
HIPAA Cancellation Request:
Access to electronic medical records is approved locally. To cancel authorization, participants should write to:
Brown University
Division of Research, Office of Research Integrity
Attention: Human Research Protection Program (HRPP)
350 Eddy Street
Providence, RI 02903
Or contact irb@brown.edu
We’re Here to Help
The alignment and migration marked an important milestone for the Brown HRPP, but the work continues. Our goal is to make the human research protection process as clear, consistent, and supportive as possible for the Brown research community.
If you are unsure where to start, start with us. Whether you need regulatory guidance, help navigating Huron, assistance with a reliance study, or clarification about an HRPP requirement, we can help connect you with the right resource.
Remember:
Need to contact HRPP? Submit a SHIP ticket to submit an inquiry or book a consult. HRPP Support Hub for Information and Planning (SHIP)
Have a regulatory question? Contact a Regulatory Advisor directly at regulatoryadvising@brown.edu OR via HRPP Support Hub for Information and Planning (SHIP).
Looking for a template or guidance document? Use the web-based HRPP Toolkit Library.
Need to update your Huron email? Submit a BIRCH Support Ticket.
We look forward to continuing to support the research community as we move forward together.
Through the BIRCH initiative, the Brown HRPP will provide unified oversight for human subjects research across Brown University, Care New England, and Brown University Health, with Brown University serving as the IRB of record for all three institutions.
