Researchers at The Wistar Institute are primarily focused on questions of basic biomedical science; however, most of them use human materials in their research and some are directly involved in clinical trials. Recent advances in genomic and proteomic analysis using microarray technology are increasing the use of large numbers of human tissues by researchers for screening for disease related genes and proteins. This trend is increasing the demand on the institute to train researchers concerning the regulations that relate to the use of human materials and to manage the influx of samples to ensure that patient privacy is protected. To accomplish these ends, this proposal outlines the development of a computer and intranet based infrastructure for: i) training of researchers and support personnel concerning the use of human materials in research; ii) IRB protocol processing and management of related information; and iii) de-identification of human materials used by researchers and sequester protected health information. The objectives outlined herein are designed to be accomplished within one year.
