Animal Care and Use
Biosafety
Conflict of Interest in Research
Export Controls
Financial Oversight of Grants and Contracts
Human Subjects
Research Misconduct
Animal Care and Use
The University of Texas System is committed to the humane care and use of animals in research and teaching. For each system member, the use of live vertebrate animals in research and education programs is overseen at by an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, which is responsible for reviewing all animal use protocols, ensuring compliance with applicable regulations, inspecting animal facilities and laboratories, and overseeing training and educational programs.
- Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
- National Research Council - Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals
- Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare
- Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals
Biosafety
The UT System is committed to minimizing the risk of potential occupational exposure to biohazardous materials in research and teaching environments, preventing the release of such materials into the environment, and complying with applicable regulations. Each system member has a biosafety program to review research projects involving the use of biohazardous materials, provide training and education regarding use, storage, and transfer of biohazardous agents, conduct laboratory inspections, and provide occupational health and preventative health services.
- National Select Agent Registry
- Occupational Health and Safety Administration - Laboratory Safety
- Office of Biotechnology Activities
Conflict of Interest in Research
The UT System is committed to promoting objectivity in research. A conflict of interest is a situation in which financial or other personal considerations have the potential to compromise or bias professional judgment and objectivity. Each system member has a conflict of interest in research program that provides a reasonable expectation that the design, conduct, and reporting of research is free from bias resulting from conflicts of interest and that applicable regulatory requirements are met.
- National Institutes of Health - Financial Conflicts of Interest
- National Science Foundation - Financial Conflicts of Interest
Export Controls
The UT System and each system member is committed to comply with export control regulation and other shipping regulations. The US government regulates the transfer of information, commodities, technology, and software considered to be strategically important to the US in the interest of national security, economic and/or foreign policy concerns. The network of federal agencies and inter-related regulations that govern the shipment or transfer, by whatever means, of controlled items, software, technology, or services out of US and the release of certain information to foreign nationals are referred to collectively as “Export Controls”. These regulations can have significant impact on:
- Travel
- Research
- Transfers of material or equipment or information
- Presentation, publication, or sharing of information or data
- Purchasing
- Surplus property
- Contracting
Non-compliance with export controls can result in severe monetary and criminal penalties against both an individual as well as the university, and can result in imprisonment, the loss of research contracts, governmental funding, and the ability to export items.
- US Department of Commerce - Export Administration Regulations (15 CFR §§730-774), controls the export or transfer of “dual use” items. Dual use items are those that have a potential military as well as commercial or civilian application (e.g., GPS units, centrifuges, mapping software)
- US Department of State - International Traffic in Arms Regulations (22 CFR §§120-130), governs the export of or information related to military, weapons, and space-related items and services
- US Department of the Treasury - Office of Foreign Assets Control (31 CFR §§500-599), enforces all US embargoes and sanctions programs
- Visual Compliance
Financial Oversight of Grants and Contracts
The UT System is committed to appropriate stewardship of research funds and resources. Each system member maintains a system of oversight and follows applicable accounting standards to ensure obligations required by sponsors are fulfilled when accepting funds to conduct research.
- National Institutes of Health - Grants Compliance and Oversight
- National Institutes of Health - Responsible Conduct of Research Policy
- National Science Foundation - Responsible Conduct of Research Policy
- National Science Foundation Office of Inspector General
- Why the Professor Went to Prison by Daniel Golden (Bloomberg BusinessWeek, November 1, 2012), concerning the J. Reece Roth case
Human Subjects
The UT System is committed to the ethical principles for the protection of human subjects in research. The Human Research Protection Program at each system member institution and their designated Institutional Review Boards are responsible for ensuring that all research studies involving human subjects are conducted ethically, in accordance with applicable regulations, and in a manner that protects the safety, rights, and welfare of participants.
Research Misconduct
The UT System is committed to the ensuring the highest standards of research integrity in the proposing, performing, or reviewing research, or in reporting research results. Each system member is responsible for prevention, detection, and investigation of research misconduct and taking action to ensure the integrity of its research.
