This proposal will expand on the improvements made to the human research protection infrastructure at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) during fiscal year 2003. With the addition of Automated Research Information Administrator (ARIA), most of the components involved in the UAMS Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) are connected, including the IRB office, the Office of Research Compliance (ORC), the IRB Chair, the Reviewers, and the Investigators and research staff. UAMS wants to go into the next phase by enhancing the existing partnerships with other institutions, such as Arkansas Children's Hospital (ACH) and Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System (CAVHS), and offering ARIA to remote affiliates such as Area Health Education Centers (AHEC's), VA Fayetteville, off-site Pharmacies (ACH and CAVHS), and institutions involved with the Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (BRIN). The purpose of this proposal will be to purchase the equipment necessary to install portals and facilitate protocol submission/tracking and IRB activities to these off-site locations. This equipment, such as computers, archival storage and distributed server system hardware, notification uptime components, printers, scanners, and video conferencing hardware will allow these remote affiliates to access ARIA. This grant will also provide the funds necessary for UAMS staff to travel to these off-site locations to install the equipment, train the researchers/administrators, and provide ongoing system support. Since Arkansas is a rural state, UAMS would like to offer ARIA as a model for a human research protocol tracking and information system on a statewide basis.
