Subject:                                Time: 3:20 PM
 OFFICE MEMO          RE>IRB Bulletin Board; IRB Chair        Date: 10/17/96

"Would also like to hear from anyone whose school has an IRB chaired by
a research nurse or other nondoctoral person."

Peter,
As an administrator I am currently the chair of the Animal Care and Use
Committee, not the IRB, but it's a similar situation.  Our director really
wanted a scientist to fill the position, but the other committee members
recommended me because I knew the regs, was doing the bulk of the work, and
had gone to several conferences on animal welfare.  I had been the
administrator of the ACUC for two years prior to becoming chair, so the
members know me pretty well.  There was some concern that because I was not a
scientist I wouldn't be able to review some protocols and deal with emergency
situations in the lab or animal facility.  To resolve this the director
appointed the previous chair, who was still a member of the committee, as
scientific advisor to the ACUC.  I work very closely with him as well as the
vet and it seems to be working out fairly well.

Beth Fisher, Research Administrator
Central Institute for the Deaf
818 S. Euclid Avenue
St. Louis, MO  63110
PH:  314-977-0271
FAX:  314-977-0030
email:  xxxxxx@cidmac.wustl.edu