Biomedical IRB Committee AB

The Institutional Review Board for biomedical research (IRB-AB) has the responsibility of reviewing proposed research projects to ensure that the rights, privacy, and welfare of all human subjects, who participate in research studies conducted by Georgetown, are adequately protected.  This biomedical committee is a combined committee of Committee A and Committee B. All studies that were previously reviewed and approved by Committee A or Committee B will now be reviewed and approved by this combined committee. In compliance with Federal law and institutional policy, all research projects involving human subjects or human material must be reviewed and approved by the IRB. All biomedical research projects conducted by the faculty, the staff and students of the University are subject to the Policies and Procedures of the Institutional Review Board.

Biomedical research involves research (i) to increase scientific understanding about normal or abnormal physiology, disease states, or development; and (ii) to evaluate the safety, effectiveness or usefulness of a medical product, procedure, or intervention. Vaccine trials, medical device research, and cancer research are all types of biomedical research.

For more information about the IRB-AB Committee, please contact the Institutional Review Board (202) 687-1506 or e-mail irboard@georgetown.edu.


Committee AB IRB Meetings for the 2024
Official Calendar Year

Updated December 14, 2023

The following is a list of the Biomedical IRB Committee AB meeting dates for the 2024 official calendar year.  Committee AB meetings are regularly scheduled for the Third Thursday of each month from 1:00-4:00 PM for all meetings.

The schedule applies to submissions requiring review at a convened IRB meeting (full board review).  Submissions that may be eligible for expedited review, exempt review, or non-human subject research determinations are reviewed on a rolling basis upon submission of all necessary materials and are not required to meet submissions deadlines for review by the convened IRB (full board review).  For more information regarding the different levels of review, please see the section titled “What are the different review options?” on the IRB 101 page. Please note final determinations regarding the level of review required are made by the IRB.

Meeting Deadlines, Dates, Locations, and Times

Deadlines for IRB Committee Meetings are on the same day of the week as the committee meeting and fall three weeks prior to the scheduled meeting date.  Any applications that you believe may require review at a full board meeting must be submitted by the meeting’s corresponding deadline to be considered for inclusion on the meeting agenda.  Due to holidays, room availability, or the academic calendar, not all meetings follow the regular schedule, location and/or time and are marked by an asterisk ( * ) in the table.