A Message from the University of Pittsburgh Institutional Review Board
IRB Announcements
Oversight of Human Stem Cell Research
This announcement is being sent on behalf of the University of Pittsburgh’s Embryonic Stem Cell Research Oversight (ESCRO) Committee and Office. Despite the term “embryonic” in the title, the purview of the University’s ESCRO Committee extends beyond human embryonic stem cells. ESCRO policies were written to not only provide oversight of hESC research, but to also include a mechanism of capturing the scope of other types of human stem cell research at the University. For that reason, most human stem cell research activities at the University of Pittsburgh will require some level of ESCRO review.
Administrative review is the most common review process, and serves simply to register the protocol with the ESCRO Office. Studies that meet certain very specific criteria (see page 3 of the ESCRO application) will require the review and approval of the sitting ESCRO Committee. For more information, go to the ESCRO home page: http://www.rcco.pitt.edu/escro/index.htm . Questions regarding compliance guidance can be directed to the ESCRO Office at 383-2826 or escro@upmc.edu.