Office for Research Protections

The Office for Research Protections (ORP) is Penn State’s home for research ethics and compliance, where we partner with researchers to maintain the integrity of Penn State research.

Announcements

March 26, 2026
The HRPP has updated the informed consent form language in the HRP-580a to reflect changes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) taxable income reporting requirements that went into effect January 1, ...
March 25, 2026
For NIH grant submissions on or after May 25, 2026, Basic Experimental Studies involving Humans (BESH) will no longer be considered clinical trials per NOT-OD-26-032. BESH are studies in humans that h...
March 25, 2026
Tony Munn began his role as IACUC Director for University Park and the Commonwealth Campuses in January, bringing with him extensive leadership experience in animal research and animal welfare. Before...

Education

The ORP oversees ACES (ACOR Certification and Education Series), the CITI program and SARI@PSU trainings on research ethics and compliance. We also offer in-person and online training for the submission of research to the IRB and IACUC. For training and requirements, see the Education program page.

Accreditation

We maintain accreditation with the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) and the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP). These accreditations are voluntary, selective, and require we uphold rigorous ethical standards.

AAHRPP Certification Seal