Posted by Joanne Street
Ethics Coordinator, IWK Research Services
“It’s interesting finding out about all the research that is happening within the walls of the IWK,” says Joanne Street, Ethics Coordinator, Research Services. “I have been with Research ten years, and this the role has really evolved and I’ve learned from the ground up.”
The Research Ethics Board (REB) serves to assist members of the research community to conduct ethically acceptable research involving humans. Without the services that Street provides, no research could be done at the IWK.
Street coordinates logistics between the Research Ethics Board committee and IWK researchers, managing all the applications from researchers through an online database called ROMEO. The Research Portal provides researchers and study team members including co-investigators, research coordinators, and other study staff, the ability to see and manage the submission and approval process for their research studies.
Street sends the applications to review to board, they come back to her and she facilitates getting them back to researchers. She facilitates the renewals and amendments to research board ethics applications, as well.
“I have good relationships with physicians, researchers, clinicians and support staff, Street says. “I can answer any problems or questions that people have about research ethics.”
The REB is made up of clinical researchers, IWK staff, and community members.
“The current REB co-chairs are Dr. Adam Huber and Eleanor Fitzpatrick, who became a co-chair a year ago replacing Dr. Linda Hamilton,” Street says. “We have had several new committee members join us this year, including Dr. Vicky Allen, Carol Digout and Christine Cassidy. And we have several community members, including Greg Muzika and Greg Affleck.”
2018 was a busy year with over 174 new submissions, 507 annual renewals and approximately 400 amendments processed. There are currently 661 active research studies taking place at the IWK.
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