Our units assist researchers and promote innovation through internal funding opportunities, proposal and award management, research oversight, business engagement, and technology commercialization.
See the RIO Organizational Chart for more details.
Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3)
The BSL-3 Program provides management support and oversight for the University of Minnesota biocontainment facilities, which are designed to safely handle and store human, animal, and plant infectious agents or toxins. This program also supports the development of projects using Risk Group 3 pathogens for research or clinical diagnosis.
Genomics Center
The University of Minnesota Genomics Center provides genomic technologies and services for researchers and clinicians at the UMN, and for external academic and industry scientists throughout the United States and internationally.
Human Research Protection Program (HRPP)
The Human Research Protection Program processes IRB submissions, supports independent research review committees, and assists the executive committees comprising chairs and vice-chairs from other panels.
Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)
The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee reviews research projects involving animals to ensure proposed activities follow all policies and procedures governing animal research.
Institutional Review Board (IRB)
The Institutional Review Board reviews research projects involving human participants, working with investigators to ensure adequate protection and informed, uncoerced consent.
Technology Commercialization
Technology Commercialization (Tech Comm) protects and licenses University-developed technologies and nurtures University technologies with startup potential.
Office of Biotechnology Activities Oversight (OBAO)
The Office of Biotechnology Activities Oversight is the administrative unit supporting four University committees that provide research oversight: Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), Stem Cell Research Oversight Panel (SCRO), Institutional Review Entity (IRE) for Dual Use Research of Concern (DURC), and the Fetal Tissue Research Committee (FTR).
Office of Cost Analysis (OCA)
The Office of Cost Analysis provides analytical, cost accounting, and effort reporting expertise in support of the UMN’s research mission.
Office of Research Information Systems (ORIS)
The Office of Research Information Systems is RIO's information technology team and specializes in the identification, implementation, exploitation, and support of information system solutions to benefit all aspects of RIO’s research administration services and to enable research activities at the institution.
Research Advancement
Research Advancement supports interdisciplinary initiatives, administers UMN research grant programs, guides research infrastructure planning, and directs research policy and review. See RIO funding.
Research Animal Resources (RAR)
Research Animal Resources provides the University of Minnesota research community with animal care, procurement services, veterinary knowledge, and maintenance of housing facilities for animal-related research activities.
Risk Intelligence and Compliance Team (RIACT)
The Risk Intelligence and Compliance Team investigates compliance concerns, oversees research ethics and compliance education, and manages compliance programs related to financial controls and the protection of humans and animals in research.
Research Computing
Research Computing enable and accelerate compute, data, and spatial research with world class systems, talented staff, events, and funding. Research Computing oversees the Minnesota Supercomputing Institute, U-Spatial, the Data Science Initiative, and the International Institute for Biosensing.
Strategic Partnerships and Research Collaborative (SPARC)
The Strategic Partnerships and Research Collaborative is a research development and impact strategy hub that advances large-scale interdisciplinary research, builds strategic partnerships, and catalyzes programmatic growth initiatives across the university system. SPARC services support the entire life cycle for large, complex programs and projects, including initial strategy development, large-scale proposal development, start-up and implementation, and impact measurement and reporting.
Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA)
The Office of Sponsored Projects Administration supports faculty in seeking, acquiring, and managing externally sponsored funding for research, training, and public service projects.