This proposal is requesting short-term interim support for three institutional activities that will have a significant impact in strengthening the oversight of human subjects research at Georgia State University. The three activities, which will be sustained even after award expiration, are as follows: (1) Purchase of the InfoEd International Inc. Human Subjects Protocol Development Module, which allows individuals to create, track and access protocols on-line and determine their current status through a Web-based interface. (2) Development of an on-line human subjects training program that is tailored to the types of social and behavioral research conducted at Georgia State University. Funding is requested for the hiring of a Training Coordinator with experience in program development and compliance to develop the materials for the webbased educational and testing programs. (3) Conducting an external review of the Georgia State University Human Subjects Protection Program. The review would examine all aspects of the policies, practices and procedures of Georgia State University to ensure they result in a coherent, effective scheme for the protection of human research subjects. Funding is requcsted for two Directors of Offices of Research Subjects Protection Programs at leading research universities to conduct a 2V2 day on-site review followed up by a written report and recommendations. Together, these three activities will significantly improve the quality of the systems that protect the rights and welfare of individuals who participate in research conducted by Georgia State University researchers. The outcomes of these activities will become embedded in the institution's conduct of research with human subjects ensuring they are sustained after the award period ends. The goal is to ensure that when Georgia State University researchers conduct research using human participants, they do so using the highest ethical standards.
