Research Trainings

Safety and ethics are a very important part of research training. Most all research opportunities require initial training(s) to help protect yourself and others. It is the student's responsibility to ask their faculty mentor which trainings are required to participate in research. Below is a list of trainings offered to students planning on completing undergraduate research at Augusta University.

Note that ALL research that involves human or non-human animal subjects (even observations) must be approved or deemed "exempt" by the Internal Review Board and/or the Institutional Animal Care and use Committee (IACUC). This includes all student theses. We provide many of the campus resources here below but the Research Office will have all the answers you need. It can be a little intimidating, so we strongly suggest that students navigate trainings under the mentorship of their research advisor rather than do so alone.

Please contact the appropriate training offices with your questions (linked below). 

Internal Review Board (IRB)

Students conducting research with humans (live subjects, observations, surveys, etc) need to complete the Human Subjects Determination Request to see if they need to submit their research protocol to the IRB. The IRB Office provides group trainings and individual help as needed.  Several helpful documents are:

Chemical Safety Trainings

First-time undergraduate researchers handling chemicals are required to attend an in-person training with the Chemical Safety Office. CURS hosts student-researcher orientated trainings once a semester, and additional trainings are held monthly with AU students, faculty, and staff.

Please contact the Chemical Safety Office for information regarding in-person chemical safety trainings and the Biological Safety Office for information regarding in-person biological safety trainings. 

Remaining trainings can be accessed online: 

BASIC AWARENESS RIGHT-TO-KNOW TRAINING WITH GHS

HAZARDOUS WASTE AWARENESS TRAINING

EPA TRAINING

 

Biology Safety Trainings

Trainings can be accessed online: 

INITIAL BIOSAFETY AND BLOODBORNE PATHOGEN TRAINING

Animal Subjects Research Trainings

Students involved in research involving animals are required to abide by all federal, state, and institutional laws regarding ethical research involving live, wild, caged animals. Students should ask their advisor about all required training for their particular project. Some relevant trainings are below.

 

Animal User Clearance

Your PI must initiate the request BEFORE you submit any paperwork or attend trainings 

ANIMAL USER CLEARANCE FOR RESEARCH PERSONNEL

Human Subjects Research - CITI Training

CITI Training consists of different groups: 

Group 1: FDA Regulated Research Investigational drugs, devices, and biologics. You must also complete the Good Clinical Practice module.
Group 2: Non-FDA Regulated Research Prevention/intervention studies, community-based studies, investigator-initiated statues that do not involve the use of investigational drugs, devices, or biologics. You may be required to complete the Good Clinical Practice module. 
Group 3: Human Derived Materials Research Specimens, human tissue, genetic/reproductive material, medical records, databanks, and registers. You may be required to complete the Good Clinical Practice module. 
Group 7: Social and Behavioral Research Surveys, questionnaires, interviews, photography, and tape recordings. You may be required to complete the Good Clinical Practice module. 

You can access these trainings online: 

CITI TRAINING MODULES

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

Read through the training module, take the quiz at the end, and print out a copy of your completion certificate.

HIPAA TRAINING