Information for Research Participants
Saint Louis University researchers work to bring forth discoveries that make meaningful contributions to our world. SLU research ranges from looking at new ways of teaching and communicating to concerns of public health and advancements in medicine. To be successful in their efforts, SLU researchers need volunteers like you.
SLU is committed to protecting the people who volunteer in our research. We have dedicated committees that review and approve research that involves human volunteers — these are called institutional review boards (IRBs). The IRBs review research to make sure that the risks are as minimal as possible and are reasonable compared to the potential benefits of the research. IRBs make sure that participants are fully informed about research and are given a choice to take part or not (or stop participation at any time), and that appropriate protections are in place for participant safety.
This page goes into more detail about understanding research and the rights of research participants. We hope this information helps you make informed choices about whether to take part in research at SLU and assists you in knowing who to contact with questions or concerns about being a SLU research participant.
Thank you for your interest in the research of Saint Louis University.
In order to make an informed decision about participating in research, OHRP provides some questions to ask when deciding whether to volunteer.
Clinicaltrials.gov is a registry and results database of publicly and privately supported clinical studies of human participants conducted around the world, including SLU.
The SLU IRB Office can be contacted at 314-977-7744 or irb@slu.edu for any of the following:
- If you are interested in serving on a SLU IRB committee
- To check out books and resources kept in the SLU IRB Library
- To seek advice or obtain information about research participation
- To discuss a complaint or concern about participation in SLU research that you do not feel comfortable talking to your research team about (or if you've talked to the research team, but they've not been able to help)
For more confidential reporting of concerns, you may call the Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) director, Maureen Bresnahan, at 314-977-7744 or the IRB institutional official, Matthew Christian, at 314-977-2047. In addition, the Office of University Compliance and Ethics can be reached at 314-977-5545. To report anonymously, you may submit a concern online using the SLU Anonymous Reporting Portal or by calling the SLU confidential hotline at 1-877-525-5669.
Contact the SLU IRB at 314-977-7744 or irb@slu.edu to request a presentation on human subjects research or research ethics for your organization.