The Research Compliance Network (RCN) is a collaboration of Brown University staff who are attentive to various aspects of regulatory and policy compliance. It is linked in a common responsibility for compliance with federal, state, and sponsor regulations applicable to the conduct of research.

The RCN plays an important role in assessment of current compliance; outreach and training to faculty, students, and staff engaged in research and research administration; and as a resource to the University community for information and assistance in all areas of research compliance.

The RCN’s mission is to enhance the University’s research environment, and to provide assistance to the research community on these important and sometimes challenging issues.

Institutional Review Board
Any member of the Brown University faculty, staff, post-doctoral, and student bodies who plans to initiate research involving human subjects must submit a protocol for review and approval by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) prior to beginning the project. The Research Protections Office (RPO) staff provides administrative support to researchers who are preparing protocols for presentation to the IRB.

Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee
The Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) ensures the health, well-being, and humane use of animals used in research at Brown, following the regulations and guidance of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services.  IACUC staff is available to answer administrative questions, and campus veterinarians can provide consultation and assistance on animal care and questions regarding experimental protocols.

Environmental Health and Safety
The Office of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) at Brown provides compliance tools to optimize laboratory and facility conditions across research projects, from safe handling of potentially hazardous materials to biosafety training. EHS also has created guidelines to describe its emergency response system, environmental strategies, and lab equipment rules.

Conflict of Interest
Brown’s Conflict of Interest Policy for Officers of Instruction and Research discusses conflict of interest, conflict of commitment, and various issues of concern for a research university. The policy describes the disclosure process required for Brown faculty and senior research staff inclusive of the annual Assurance of Compliance and when the Assurance indicates that a Disclosure of potential financial conflict of interests or outside professional and commercial activities is merited, a CoI Disclosure form.

Intellectual Property
In compliance with Federal regulations, Brown University’s Patent and Invention Policy and Copyright Policy are intended to further the University’s central missions of education and the production, preservation and dissemination of knowledge. These Policies are designed to maintain the University’s general philosophy regarding the open dissemination of research results and the encouragement of research and scholarship without regard to potential financial gain, while recognizing that commercialization of intellectual property is the means to achieve the maximal benefit to society of certain research.