I am thrilled to attend my second PRIM&R Advancing Ethical Research Conference (AER18) and to share my experiences as a Blog Squad member! With so many recent and forthcoming regulatory changes—the revised Common Rule, NIH single IRB of record mandate, and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), just to name a few—this is an exciting time for the human research projections community, and I am delighted to explore these topics with you!

Like many in our field, my background is decidedly not in behavioral or scientific research. While studying cultural studies, Latin, and Chinese literature, I never imagined I’d one day review risk language of oncology drugs or assess methods for recruiting disadvantaged communities to a study of STD transmission. Yet when I joined the human research protections program at Ohio State University as an entry-level IRB protocol analyst in 2015, I found that my previous experiences weren’t so irrelevant after all: my humanities studies had always emphasized social responsibility and ethics (broadly defined). In the HRPP office, I’ve felt quite at home debating trends in human subjects regulations with colleagues, while thinking through their practical applications. I love that in this job I’m constantly learning and contributing to the advancement of knowledge.

PRIM&R has been an integral part of my transition to this field. I learned so much as a first-time conference attendee at AER16; I made a point of attending every optional lunch and networking session I could. Even now, I find myself returning to the materials from the preconference program on implementing single IRB review, or pondering the ethical dilemmas raised at the panel on crowdfunding clinical trials. Coming from a large academic institution, I was struck by the size and diversity of our community—especially knowing that the conference attendees represented just a fraction of professionals dedicated to advancing the protection of human subjects in research!

At AER18, I am motivated not only to absorb information, but to share what I learn with others, especially those that cannot attend the conference. As a member of the Blog Squad, I will draw upon my experience supporting both medical and SBER IRBs, as well as quality improvement initiatives at a large, public research institution. I look forward to connecting with you before, during, and after the conference!

Erin Odor, MA, CIP, is an IRB Protocol Analyst II at The Ohio State University. She supports the operations of the Cancer IRB, Biomedical IRB, and Social & Behavioral Sciences IRB, as well as collaborative research with other institutions. She also regularly assists with outreach and education activities, staff training, and process improvement initiatives. She holds bachelor’s degrees in comparative cultural studies and Latin language, as well as a Master of Arts in East Asian studies.

Members of PRIM&R’s Blog Squad and other guest contributors are valued members of our community willing to share their insights. The views expressed in their posts do not necessarily reflect those of PRIM&R or its employees.

PRIM&R’s 2018 Advancing Ethical Research Conference takes place November 14-17 in San Diego, CA. Explore the agenda and register on our website.