My name is Seth Hall, and I’m thrilled to be blogging about PRIM&R’s 2016 Advancing Ethical Research Conference (AER16). I’m somewhat new to human subjects research protections. Although I had some research experience as an undergraduate, I went to law school and practiced general civil litigation for a few years. For the past year, I have been with the Human Research Office at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

I’ve learned a great deal over the past year, including much through PRIM&R’s website and webinars. I am attending this year’s conference to continue to grow and learn in this industry. I’m eager to build on my understanding of how research is efficiently reviewed and conducted so I can better support my institution.

More specifically, I’m interested in how the principles of the Belmont Report shape various aspects of research. As I support my institution’s IRBs, I am fascinated by the applied ethical process required for IRB review. Reviewing medical research within the context of federal regulations and the underlying principles of the Belmont Report is an exciting application of ethics. IRB review leads to advancements in research and ultimately societal improvement. But the principles of the Belmont Report are not only expressed in the work of IRBs. The principles are also found in the development and practice of research itself. In examining the Belmont Report’s influence, I am excited to attend presentations regarding vulnerable populations, including the plenary session “Research With Children and Adolescents: Who and How Is the Decision Made to Participate?”

I am also interested in further examining the intersections of law and research ethics. My background in law has eased my transition to working to protect human participants in biomedical research. The protection of human research subjects touches on legal issues in many areas, such as the definition of subject vulnerability or the process of obtaining informed consent. There are several sessions during the conference that directly address these and other legal issues (if you’re looking for similar sessions, see the Legal conference track). I hope to use my legal background to provide a different perspective on topics covered at the conference in my subsequent Ampersand posts

Seth Hall, associate director of the Human Research Office at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, is a member of the PRIM&R Blog Squad for the 2016 AER Conference. The PRIM&R Blog Squad is composed of PRIM&R members who are blogging here, on Ampersand, to give our readers an inside peek of what’s happening at the conference in Anaheim, CA.

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