This page provides lists of contacts in the IRB office for various common topics. Click the red "+" to expand each topic and see who you should reach out to. You can include more than one person on your email, however we ask that you avoid sending the same question to multiple people individually as this typically leads to confusion. If you need to forward an existing email to another recipient, please keep the original recipient CC'd on the email so that they are aware another person has been brought into the conversation.
For the complete IRB Directory list of staff and contact information, Click Here
You may also sign up for virtual offICE HOURS BY CLICKING HERE!
Help Desks
Our help desks are managed by multiple staff members with relevant knowledge. You may receive a response directly from the helpdesk or from another IRB staff member who received your forwarded message.
IRB PO BOX - for general IRB inquiries, including status of review progress, questions,concerns or complaints regarding IRB review - PROVOST-IRB@pobox.upenn.edu.
HSERA Help Desk - for technical issues with the online submission system - hsera_help@lists.upenn.edu
CITI training Help Desk - for issues obtaining or documenting CITI training - IRBCITISupport@lists.upenn.edu
Ancillary Review Inbox - In collaboration with various ancillary research review entities at Penn (e.g. CTSRMC, IBC, RRSC,OCR ETC..) the IRB has established a centralized email inbox to receive non-IRB review outcomes. As these entities make determinations regarding new and active research protocols, the outcome letters are shared to this inbox for IRB documentation. The IRB staff then distributes the letters for further review as necessary by relevant stake holders (e.g. IRB members during convened review, IRB Directors, ETC...)
Contract Review Inbox - In collaboration with the Clinical Trials Contracting Unit, the IRB has established a centralized email inbox to receive the outcomes of contract reviews for sponsored research. As contracts are finalized and approved the contract information is forwarded to this inbox for IRB documentation. The IRB staff then distributes the information to the appropriate administrator for review of applicable sections of the informed consent form. We will then contact the study team to inform them of either approval of the informed consent form or any required revisions.
Initial Review Of Minimal Risk Research (Qualifies for Exemption or Expedited Review)
If you are working on getting approval for a new minimal risk study, the following group can help with questions about application requirements and responding to issues raised:
Patrick Landis (plandis@upenn.edu): Biomedical
Stephanie Lesage (lesages@upenn.edu): Biomedical
Diana Floegel (floegeld@upenn.edu): Social-behavioral
Candace Adams (cadams3@upenn.edu): Social-behavioral
Once your study has been assigned to an administrator, be sure to stay in contact with that particular person if they reach out to you about your study. Please understand that it is routine for the IRB to return your application for revisions at least once during the review process.
Drafting Initial and Ongoing Submissions for Greater Than Minimal Risk Studies
The following administrators can help with questions related to preparing initial, continuing review and modification submissions for studies that are Greater Than Minimal risk:
Renee Crews (rcrews@upenn.edu)
Tim Kenealy (tkenealy@upenn.edu)
Mallorie Jones (maljones@upenn.edu)
Please be sure to reach out with questions prior to submitting. Please also note that the level of review required for individual submissions is determined by the IRB after thorough screening.
Items Pending Convened Review (Greater Than Minimal Risk Studies)
This list identifies the IRB staff members assigned to each of the 8 boards. If you need help related to a submission that is being scheduled for convened review, please check the HSERA status to identify which board it has been assigned to and contact those identified below:
IRB 1: Candace Adams (cadams3@upenn.edu)
IRB 2: Renee Crews (rcrews@upenn.edu)
IRB 3: Tim Kenealy (tkenealy@upenn.edu) and Harrison Woods (hmwoods@upenn.edu)
IRB 4: Patrick Landis (plandis@upenn.edu) and Fiona Crane (fcrane@upenn.edu)
IRB 5: Stephanie Lesage (lesages@upenn.edu) and Molly Nochimson (lygrwl@upenn.edu)
IRB 6: Mallorie Jones (maljones@upenn.edu) and Fiona Crane (fcrane@upenn.edu)
IRB 7: Heather Emery (heathern@upenn.edu) and Harrison Woods (hmwoods@upenn.edu)
IRB 8: Diana Floegel (floegeld@upenn.edu) and Molly Nochimson (mollynoc@upenn.edu)
Including all the IRB support staff for a particular board on one email will likely improve communication since these teams work very closely to prepare submissions for convened review.
Complex Submissions
For complex research submissions (Deviations, Reportable Events, Emergency/Compassionate/Single Patient Use Requests) please contact the following group:
Stephanie Lesage (lesages@upenn.edu)
Di Pinder (pinder@upenn.edu)
Dave Heagerty (heagerty@upenn.edu)
HIPAA, Privacy, Confidentiality, Protection of PHI Requirements
Dave Heagerty (heagerty@upenn.edu)
Patrick Landis (plandis@upenn.edu)
Critical information for protection of PHI can be found in this electronic PHI guidance document. Please review the guidance and make sure any PHI protection questions are phrased in context of your specific study.
Reliance and Cooperative Agreements
The following group should be contacted with questions about Penn serving as the IRB of record for another site or group of sites, PennCHOP agreements, or Penn relying on another IRB:
Primary:
Patrick Stanko (pstanko@upenn.edu)
Secondary:
Stephanie Lesage (lesages@upenn.edu)
Tim Kenealy (tkenealy@upenn.edu)
IRB Office Location
The IRB office is located at 3600 Civic Center Blvd., 9th Floor.