Research Protections

The policy document RE14 Conflicts of Interest in Research ensures that the design, conduct, reporting and publication of research will not be biased by any conflicts of interest. This policy applies to all persons performing research at Houston Methodist.

Public requests for information concerning PHS funded investigators who have financial conflicts of interest must be made in writing to:

Kirstin H. Madigan, MPH
Director, Research Integrity and Compliances
Houston Methodist Research Institute
Josie Roberts Administration Building, RB4-411
7550 Greenbriar Dr., Houston TX 77030
hmricoimailbox@houstonmethodist.org

The request must include the name of the investigator, the nature of the request and a return address. A written response to the person making the request will be provided within five business days from the receipt of the request in the Office of Research Protections.

Institutional Review Board

The Institutional Review Board is composed of physician investigators and administrators who oversee the regulatory review and approval process of human participants research studies conducted at Houston Methodist. Any research involving human participants, including studies that use blood, urine, or tissue samples, must receive approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) to ensure ethical and safe research practices. This process provides oversight for researchers since a committee of their peers evaluates their proposed use of human subjects and ensures that the research is well-designed and ethical.

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

The responsibility of the IACUC is to oversee use of animal subjects, including proposed and ongoing studies, as they relate to animal welfare laws, regulations and policies. This oversight includes review of the appropriateness, quality, and availability of the selected animal model, determines how humane and appropriate the procedures and conditions surrounding animal subjects before and after the study are, and examines the adequacy and availability of essential animal research facility support.

Institutional Biosafety Committee