Research involving humans
New online ethics system for research involving humans
There is a new online ethics system for ethics applications and review of research involving human participants, data and samples.
All Schools are now using the new system. Please use this to submit your ethics application:
You may need to use the Word form for amendments if your application was processed in the old system. See the guidance on amendments.
Visit the ethics management project webpage for more information on the new system, including links to video tutorials.
If your research involves human participants, their data or samples, then ethical review is mandatory and a favourable opinion must be obtained before starting your research.
The University Teaching and Research Ethics Committee (UTREC) is the overarching committee which delegates to each School Ethics Committee the responsibility for the ethical review of the University's research activities involving human participants or human tissues and samples.
Ethical review is a peer-review process to help researchers fulfil their personal responsibility to act in accordance with the University’s Principles of Good Research Conduct (Policy) (PDF) and fully account for ethical issues related to research involving humans and, in doing so, minimise risk to the project, the researcher, the participants and the University.
Failure to obtain ethics review and adhere to an ethics committees decision is defined as research misconduct.
Definition of 'research'
In all documentation, guidance and web pages relating to research involving humans, the term 'research' refers to a process of investigation leading to new insights.
For more information on this definition and the exemption of service evaluations and audits, please refer to the information on what projects require ethical review.
For research involving the NHS
If you are planning research involving the NHS, visit the guidance on research involving the NHS, MOD or health and social care.