This page provides an overview of the foundational requirements, training, and institutional resources needed to begin clinical research at Virginia Commonwealth University. Faculty and study teams can use this guide to understand whether their project involves human subjects, clarify investigator roles and responsibilities, complete required training, identify mentoring and networking opportunities, and gain early awareness of VCU’s research funding and support infrastructure.
These resources are intended as a starting point and are not comprehensive. Investigators are encouraged to review linked institutional and external pages for detailed requirements, timelines, templates, and guidance specific to their study.
All resource titles appear as blue links and include a brief description and access information (if applicable). Click an accordion below to explore available tools and resources.
Understand Clinical Research and Investigator Roles
- Provides foundational guidance on human research protections at VCU - Explains ethical principles, regulatory requirements, and institutional expectations for human subjects research - Serves as a central reference for investigators before initiating study planning - Helps investigators understand when oversight, approvals, and compliance requirements apply
- Helps investigators determine whether a project meets the definition of human subjects research - Distinguishes research from quality improvement, program evaluation, and operational activities - Guides investigators to the appropriate regulatory pathway or oversight determination - Intended for use early in project conceptualization to avoid unnecessary IRB submissions
- Defines the responsibilities and obligations of principal investigators conducting human subjects research at VCU - Outlines expectations for protocol compliance, participant safety, and study oversight - Serves as a required reference for investigators before assuming PI responsibilities - Applicable throughout the lifecycle of an IRB-approved study
- Describes investigator responsibilities for NIH-funded research projects - Clarifies expectations related to research integrity, data management, and regulatory compliance - Supports alignment with federal sponsor requirements and institutional policies - Relevant when planning or conducting research supported by NIH funding
- Provides standardized education in human subjects protections, Good Clinical Practice (GCP), and regulatory compliance - Required for investigators and study team members prior to IRB approval and study initiation - Supports compliance with federal regulations, sponsor requirements, and VCU HRPP policies - Offers role-specific curricula for clinical trials, biomedical research, and social and behavioral research - Must be completed and maintained throughout the study lifecycle
- Centralizes access to research-related training and educational opportunities across OVPRI - Helps investigators and study teams identify required and recommended training by research phase - Supports onboarding of new research personnel and ongoing professional development - Promotes consistent adherence to institutional and sponsor-driven training expectations - Commonly used when initiating research activities or joining a study team
- Establishes institutional requirements for VCU and VCU Health personnel engaged in clinical research activities - Defines required training, authorization, and facility use expectations prior to participating in clinical research - Supports compliance with institutional policies, safety standards, and regulatory requirements - Clarifies authorization for access to clinical research facilities, systems, and resources - Typically reviewed during onboarding and prior to initiating clinical research activities
- Provides education and training resources for clinical research personnel at VCU - Supports skill development, role readiness, and workforce competency in clinical research - Applicable to investigators and study staff prior to and during clinical research activities - Enhances preparedness for compliant and high-quality study conduct
PITT-STOP
COMING SOON! - Canva Course with self-guided modules - Provides structured training to support investigators preparing for independent research funding - Focuses on proposal development, grantsmanship skills, and research career advancement - Supports early-stage and developing investigators pursuing external funding - Intended for use during early career development and prior to major grant submissions
- Provides a high-level overview of the end-to-end sponsored research process at VCU - Describes key phases including proposal development, pre-award, award, and post-award management - Helps investigators understand institutional review, approvals, and timelines - Useful for setting expectations prior to pursuing external funding
- Central resource that guides investigators through proposal development and sponsored project processes - Provides step-by-step information on proposal preparation, routing, and submission - Links to tools, templates, and institutional requirements for sponsored research - Intended for use when exploring or preparing to pursue external funding
- Faculty development program administered through the Office of the Provost to support mentoring across the university - Designed to foster effective mentoring relationships that support research, teaching, leadership, and career advancement - Connects faculty mentees with experienced faculty mentors across disciplines and career stages - Provides structured guidance, tools, and best practices to support productive mentor–mentee engagement - Encourages goal setting, individualized career planning, and professional growth - Supports retention, success, and advancement of tenure-track, clinical, and research faculty - Open to faculty seeking mentorship at any stage of their academic career
- National initiative that provides mentoring, training, and networking for researchers - Focuses on supporting diverse investigators across biomedical and behavioral research careers - Offers grant-writing coaching, mentorship, and professional development resources - Useful for investigators seeking external mentoring beyond institutional programs
Use this searchable database to explore current and past research projects across VCU. You can identify faculty members who are working in specific areas of interest, view their recent publications and grants, and learn about their research focus. This tool is especially helpful for identifying and reaching out to potential mentors or collaborators whose expertise aligns with your research goals.
Access Visit the EVR portal: https://evr.vcu.edu All VCU faculty with active primary appointments in Banner automatically have an EVR profile 1 No login is required to browse or search the site Faculty can request updates or corrections to their profiles through the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation For training or guidance, visit the EVR training page here: https://research.vcu.edu/training/evr-training/
