Research- Getting Started

1. Select a research project topic, literature review

2. Find a mentor

3. In-depth literature review, formulate hypothesis

4. Complete Research Project Review form with guidance from mentor, email it to the Research Committee,  research@icom.edu

5. Receive comments and suggestions from the Research Committee, refine hypothesis and research proposal. 

• For funded projects such as the Mentored Research Grant and Anatomy Research Program, projects must be APPROVED.

6. Complete training appropriate for your project. All researchers are required to take a Responsible Conduct of Research course.

7. Submit appropriate approval forms to the Institutional Review Board and/or ICOM Institutional Biosafety Committee if necessary. Once approvals have been obtained...

8. Begin research!!!

• The Research Committee is a group of faculty, staff, and student doctors who are here to support your research.  
• They meet monthly to discuss new and ongoing research projects, research-related events, and administrative tasks related to research at ICOM
• The Chair of the Research Committee is Dr. Matthew Laye. 

Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) - Online training platform utilized by ICOM for research training. Every person involved in research at ICOM must take a Responsible Conduct of Research Course applicable to their field of study. Other training courses will be assigned based on the specifics of the research proposed. Training in human subjects research is required for projects involving humans. 

Learn more about how to access CITI training here. 

Working in the lab requires specific safety training that will be assigned based on the proposed project. Most of the training will be assigned via CITI. Additional ICOM-specific information includes: 

• ICOM Biosafety Plan
• Chemical Hygiene Plan
• Lab Access and Safety Policy
• Lab Safety Agreement

These will be sent to you via Adobe Sign. After the documents have been read and signed, you will be given a Laboratory Safety Orientation, a quick safety orientation of the laboratory space. The last step: access to the lab, the lab calendar, and the laboratory research resources Google Drive Folder. THEN the real work begins!

Human subjects research can be defined as a generalizable, systematic investigation involving data obtained from humans.  If your research will involve humans, is planned, and you hope to disseminate it beyond your research group, you need approval from an Institutional Review Board! ICOM currently utilizes the Boise State University IRB. 

The ICOM Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) meets on an as needed basis to provide institution-level review and oversight of nearly all forms of research utilizing recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules. Additionally, the IBC reviews and provides oversight for all experiments using biohazardous (infectious agents such as bacteria or viruses) or potentially hazardous materials. If a proposed experiment will utilize recombinant nucleic acids (DNA, RNA), potentially infectious materials such as bacteria or human cell lines or any other hazardous materials, the IBC must review the proposed experiment before commencing experimental work. If your proposed research needs review by the IBC, the Research Committee will facilitate this process.