Research Affairs

The Research Affairs is composed of four Sections:
•Administrative Support
•Proposal Processing
•Assurance & Compliance
•Knowledge Translations

The RA promotes clinical and biomedical research of the highest ethical and scientific caliber that examines relevant questions. The RA also ensures that research conducted at KFSH&RC and affiliated institutions meet locally and globally accepted ethical and safety standards, optimally utilizing research resources to encourage a positive research culture, translate research outputs, and develop strategies and infrastructure to support successful research and creative endeavors.

The specific objectives of RA are:  
•Serves as liaison between the Research Advisory Council supporting Committees and the Investigators
•Processes research applications and presents to RA supporting Committee(s)
•Ensures Compliance of research activities at KFSH&RC with applicable policies and assures KFSH&RC compliance with regulatory bodies.
•Negotiates and prepares research contracts with sponsors and collaborators in consultation with the KFSH&RC Legal Affairs Office.
•Close the gap between knowledge and practice to realize research benefits through improved health outcomes, more effective health services and products, and strengthened healthcare systems.

Three standing committees support the process of RA:
•The Research Ethics Committee (REC) is the Institutional Review Board (IRB) that evaluates the ethical, religious aspects of all research proposals that involve human subjects according to nationally and internationally accepted ethical criteria to ensure that: 
•The human subjects' safety, welfare, and rights are adequately protected [The human subject refers to an individual about whom an investigator obtains (i) data through intervention or interaction with the individual or (ii) identifiable private information].
The risks to subjects are minimized and are acceptable when measured against the possible benefits of the study.
•Basic Research Committee (BRC) evaluates the scientific merit, feasibility, relevance, and validity of clinical research proposals (such as human interventional studies) or basic nature studies (such as studies conducted on animals or tissue cultures or based on basic science questions).
•The Animal Care and Use Committee (ACUC) evaluates the animal care aspects of all research proposals, programs, procedures, and facilities that involve animals.  

 
List of RA and REC Policies and Procedures:
•The Research Ethics Committee Policies and Procedures in the Conduct of Research on Human Subjects
•Code of Ethics for the Conduct of Human Subjects Research (APP-1437-05 version 2).
•Implementing Animal Care and Use Program in the Organization (APP-8686 version 1)
•Formation and Function of the Animal Care and Use Committee (NCIPP-8763 – version 2)
•The Research Advisory Council Policies and Guidelines

Converis serves as a central integration hub for online research management. The system manages the complete research lifecycle – from the proposal submission, committee reviews, progress reports, and the outcome, including publications and citations of published work. All relevant stakeholders involved in this process, i.e., the researcher, research team, department heads, and RA staff, can use the system to enter, manage, track, validate, and report on research information to meet their internal and external reporting requirements.

The system is accessible through this link within the KFSH&RC network or under apps – The Researcher can log in using his/her hospital ID and email password -- Attached is a guide to get you started with the system.