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CATS IRB Upgrade Project

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CATS IRB will be unavailable Thursday, June 22, 2023 2:00 PM ET until Monday, June 26, 2023 12:00 PM ET. Please plan ahead for submissions to avoid interruption.

Overview

CATS IRB system will soon upgrade to the latest version, ensuring compliance with the latest regulatory requirements for Single IRB and other IRB functions.  The upgrade will implement system enhancements to improve the user interface and experience.  Researchers should expect upgraded training and educational materials, as well as updated documentation and reports. 

 

  • Improved user interface and enhanced usablity:
    • Updated Dashboard replaces My Inbox
    • New navigation menu within the smartform
    • Recently viewed widget shows five most recently viewed submissions
    • Breadcrumb links 
  • HRPP no longer requiring Administrative Review
  • GCP training: distinction between biomedical and social/behavioral GCP trainings will be visible in the system
  • Streamlined external IRB workflow
  • Improvements to single IRB workflow and process

 

  • New compare feature for reviewers
  • Improved data handling and visibility regarding risk level and review level information
  • New data and content roles
  • Ability for system team to customize workspaces

 

CATS IRB development is governed by multiple collaborative teams at various levels within the University, each serving a different but related purpose. The teams implementing the work have been charged with transforming processes and systems in the transition. 

The roles and members of each team are: 

  • CATS Executive Committee - To guide the strategic direction of research administration system development and remove high-level blockers 
    • Members Include: 
      • Katie Bode-Lang, Director of Research Education, Quality, and Integrity Program (EQUIP), Office for Research Protections
      • Michael Stedelin, Director, Office of Research Information Systems
      • Jim Taylor, Associate Chief Information Officer for Research 
      • Debra Thurley, Assistant Vice President for Research, Office for Research Protections
      • Sheila Vrana, Associate Dean for Research, Office for Research Protections 
      • Candy Yekel, Associate Vice President of Research and Director of the Office for Research Protections
      • Laura Sabolchick Young, Assistant Director and Lead Business Analyst, Office of Research Information Systems

 

  • IRB Best Practices Group - To serve as subject matter experts to the development teams, act as decision makers and to champion the systems with researchers and staff 
    • Members include: 
      • Susan Bowser, Business Analyst
      • Ashley Conte, Business Analyst
      • Sara Horn, Director of the IRB Program
      • Rachel Lally, Executive Director of HRPP
      • Melanie Parenteau, IT Project Manager
      • Laura Sabolchick Young, Assistant Director and Lead Business Analyst

      • Stephanie Staniar, Business Analyst

 

  • ORIS Development Team - To implement, configure and document quality software and process solutions used by researchers and research administration in an efficient and timely manner 
    • Development Team includes: 
      • Susan Bowser, Business Analyst
      • Ashley Conte, Business Analyst
      • Ming Ni, Developer 
      • Doug Snook, Developer 
      • Laura Sabolchick Young, Assistant Director and Lead Business Analyst  

      • Stephanie Staniar, Business Analyst

 

  • Key User Group - To serve as "on the ground" users of the system providing usability feedback and solutions from the researcher's perspective on an as needed and ongoing basis 

 

 

Project Timeline

Q1 2022

  • Analysis, Project Plan, & Schedule  

 

Q2 2023

  • Readiness Planning, Documentation & Deployment
  • CATS IRB will be unavailable from Thursday, June 22, 2023 2:00 PM ET until Monday, June 26, 2023 12:00 PM ET. The site will not be available during this time. During this downtime, Penn State's STAR (clinical trials system) will still be functioning but the integration between STAR and IRB will not be functional until CATS IRB is live again. 

 

Q2-Q4 2022

  • Project Execution, Development, & Testing 

 

Q1 2023

  • Project Execution, Development & Testing 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this IRB Upgrade Project, please contact: Melanie Parenteau, IT Project Manager, Office of Research Information Systems at Map84@psu.edu.