Partnering Units

RIC collaborates with many offices and organizations that support the University’s commitment to ethical and legal compliance by providing expert guidance, as well as oversight and training functions. 

Health and Safety

Health, Safety, and Risk Management (HSRM)Monitors and proactively assesses the University’s physical environment to ensure safe and healthy working and living conditions, system-wide, for University of Minnesota students, staff, and faculty and community neighbors. Health, Safety, and Risk Management includes the Building Code Division and the Department of Environmental Health and Safety.

Office of Biotechnology Activities Oversight: Reviews research and teaching activities involving recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules, infectious agents, biologically derived toxins, or other potentially hazardous biological agents.

Human Care and Research

Clinical and Translational Science Institute:  CTSI is one of approximately 60 medical research institutions working together to improve the way clinical and translational research is conducted nationwide, enhancing its efficiency and quality. Human Research Training is available through this initiative.

Health Information Privacy and Compliance Office: Ensures institutional compliance with the patient information privacy standards mandated by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.

Human Research Protection Program: Processes Institutional Review Board submissions, assists independent research review committees, and assists executive committees comprising chairs and vice-chairs from other panels.

Institutional Review Board: Reviews all projects involving human participants to ensure that they are not placed at undue risk, and that they give uncoerced, informed consent to their participation.

Animal Care and Research

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee: Reviews all projects involving animals to ensure that the research is justified by the benefits, and that personnel take appropriate steps to minimize any animal pain or suffering that might be expected to occur.

Research Animal Resources: Fosters knowledge and improves the health and well-being of humans and animals by advancing research, education and training in comparative medicine and biology.

Financial

Office of Institutional Compliance: Has principal responsibility for the University’s Financial Conflicts of Interests program, as well as the Policy and Delegations of Authority programs.

Sponsored Financial Reporting: Responsible for research-related financial reports and invoices, receiving revenue, closing awards out, and coordinating audits.

General

Council of Research Associate Deans: Serves as an interactive advisory board to the Research and Innovation Office. Members help formulate university-wide policies and systems that strengthen infrastructure, promote faculty productivity, and advance strategic goals.

Office of Internal Audit: Provides independent, objective assurance and advisory services designed to add value and improve the University’s operations. The office considers risks broadly and includes within its scope all activity posing financial, operational, technological, regulatory, or reputational risk to the University.

Executive Oversight Compliance Committee: Aids the University in integrating research compliance and related responsibilities. It provides a framework to bring an institutional focus to compliance issues, to cross-fertilize ideas, and to develop compliance best practices across the research enterprise.

Office of Sponsored Projects Administration: Submits research contract and grant proposals, negotiates and signs awards and subawards.