Office for Research Protections

Message from the Director

The Office for Research Protections (ORP) is Penn State’s home for research ethics, where we partner with researchers to maintain the integrity of Penn State research. If researchers are working with human subjects, we work with them to protect the welfare and rights of research participants. If investigators are conducting research with animals, we help them navigate the regulations and policies that mandate the animals be treated humanely and ethically. Our office seeks to protect the integrity of Penn State research by educating the University on the responsible conduct of research through our SARI @ PSU program; by helping faculty manage financial conflicts of interest; and by investigating allegations of research misconduct.

We also protect the safety of researchers and the general public. The ORP is involved in a wide range of activities and divided into multiple programs, and in every endeavor we strive for excellence.

For example, 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.

The ORP also proudly supports ethical initiatives beyond research protections. We have a diversity committee and a sustainability committee. Both regularly host talks and office-wide activities that promote understanding and appreciation of inclusivity and good environmental stewardship.

Every graduate student, postdoc, and faculty member at Penn State has worked with at least one of our protections programs. Also, thousands, likely millions, of people volunteering for Penn State research across the globe have benefited from our services. And that’s how we approach our work, as service to others, and our hope is to provide the best possible service to our myriad constituency.

In our work, we partner with some of the most talented researchers in the world. To the Penn State research community, we thank you for this privilege.

Candice Yekel
Associate Vice President for Research
Director, Office for Research Protections