The Office of Sponsored Programs strives to provide our faculty with responsive, high-quality service. Our office offers assistance to faculty and staff in two areas, Sponsored Projects and Post Award Management. The Grant Process pathway is available to help successfully guide University community through the funding process.

Tell us how we’re doing – take our Customer Service Survey.

The Office of Research Integrity and Outreach provides information on research activities which are governed by a number of research oversight committees and boards imposed by federal and state laws. Non-compliance can result in severe penalties to the institution, and in some instances, to the individual. It is the responsibility of faculty and staff to be familiar with UT Dallas policy as it relates to these research compliance areas.

For general questions concerning research administration, please review the Researcher’s Guide.

Human Subjects Protections (HSP)

The Office of Human Subjects Protections (OHSP) facilitates and promotes the ethical involvement of human subjects in research by providing administrative support to the Institutional Review Board and consultative services to investigators and their research staff. The HSP facilitates the IRB review and approval of human subjects research in accordance with applicable federal and state regulations and UTD policies and procedures. Additionally, the HSP conducts post-monitoring and quality assurance activities and provides educational outreach for the UTD research community.

Institutional Review Board (IRB) is a university-wide standing committee whose primary mission is to ensure the rights and welfare of all human participants in UTD affiliated research. The IRB has the authority to review, approve, disapprove, or require changes to all studies under their purview.  IRB review process is guided by federal and state regulations, university policy, and the Belmont Report. IRB members include faculty, staff, and community members who, in the aggregate, possess a broad range of interests and expertise that correspond with the areas of research reviewed.

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)

UT Dallas is guided by federal regulations and ethical principles intended to ensure the humane care and use of animals in research so as to benefit human and/or animal health, the advancement of knowledge, and the good of society.

The primary mission of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is to ensure the protection of the rights and welfare of all animals utilized in research as conducted by university faculty, staff, and students. The IACUC review process is guided by federal and state regulations, and university policy. IACUC members include faculty, staff, and community members (scientists and non-scientists) who, in the aggregate, possess a broad range of interests and expertise that correspond with the areas of research reviewed.

All research involving vertebrate animals that is conducted or authorized under the jurisdiction of The University of Texas at Dallas is subject to review by the IACUC. The review must be conducted before a project can be started.

Institutional Biosafety and Chemical Safety Committee (IBCC)

For a quick overview of the IBCC Protocol Process please view this flow diagram.

The University of Texas at Dallas assumes responsibility for maintaining required standards of biological containment and handling for activities conducted in its facilities involving potentially biohazardous materials, including recombinant and synthetic DNA (rDNA/sDNA) molecules, as well as for research involving particularly hazardous chemicals.

As such, the University has a standing committee known as the Institutional Biosafety and Chemical Safety Committee (IBCC) that oversees the responsible conduct in these areas, both in research and teaching laboratories. The IBCC is a university-wide committee appointed by the President with the charge of reviewing all protocols that involve any of the following:

• Recombinant DNA
• Pathogenic organisms or other potentially infectious materials
• Human and non-human primate cells/tissues, blood, or other biological materials
• Research with animals/animal tissues known to be potential reservoirs of zoonotic disease (e.g. mosquitoes, bats, armadillos)
• Biological toxins or select agents
• Particularly hazardous chemicals

The standards that will be maintained by this committee  either meet or exceed the current NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules, the CDC/NIH Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL), and UT Dallas policies.

ibcc@utdallas.edu

Conflict of Interest (COI)

The University of Texas at Dallas (“UTD”) is committed to ensuring personal, financial, and organizational conflicts of interest do not interfere with the openness and productivity of our academic and research environments. UTD’s concern with conflict of interest reflects the ever-increasing complexity of our society, our various relations with each other and with outside institutions, along with the heightened national and governmental sensitivity to such matters. UTD takes the position that faculty and researchers can participate in situations involving the appearance for conflict in conjunction with appropriate monitoring by UTD administration.

The Office of Research Integrity and Outreach provides a framework for faculty and researchers to disclose and manage potential conflicts through education and procedures that emphasize transparency and accountability. UTD policies and procedures balance the professional autonomy of investigators inherent in the self-regulation of research with the institutional responsibility UTD accepts to know what conflicts might exist at the institution, and to manage, reduce, or eliminate those conflicts.

A conflict of interest or commitment is created when the personal, financial, or organizational interest of an investigator could bias or unduly influence the design, conduct, or reporting of research at UTD, or interfere with the investigator’s performance of his or her institutional responsibilities to UTD. Institutional responsibilities at risk for the appearance of conflict include data collection, publication of research results, intellectual property assignment and licensing, data management, purchasing, mentoring, and facilities use.

The University Research Integrity Committee (“Committee”) is charged with assuring the integrity of research endeavors undertaken at and on behalf of UTD by identifying and addressing situations involving the appearance or occurrence of conflicts of interest and commitment. The Conflict of Interest Office (“COI Office”) within the Office of Research Integrity and Outreach is responsible for administering the Committee and assisting the Committee in assuring institutional and investigator compliance with federal and state laws and regulations concerning conflict of interest and commitment. The COI Office provides the education and procedures needed by investigators to identify and manage research and other responsibilities at risk for the appearance of conflict of interest or commitment.

Export Control

U.S. export control law regulates the export of and access to data, technologies, software, and hardware for reasons of foreign policy, national security, and trade protection. All UT Dallas employees are required to comply with export control regulations as they apply to instruction, research, and service at the University.

This site provides information, resources, and guidance for UTD faculty, staff, and students about the impact of export control regulations at the University. Although export control regulations cover a wide range of activities, the following are most pertinent to UT Dallas:

• Accepting restrictions on publishing, proprietary information, or access to research results
• Employing foreign nationals on research projects
• Shipping or carrying certain data, software, or devices outside of the US
• Traveling to embargoed countries

Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR)

The University of Texas at Dallas is committed to conducting research in a scientifically responsible and ethical manner, and expects all students and employees to follow relevant guidelines, policies, and regulations (see UTDPP1070). Students, postdocs, faculty, and staff who participate in research at UT Dallas or any of its related centers or institutes may be required to participate in Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training as part of their participation in federally sponsored research or as required in undergraduate or graduate research training programs. The Principal Investigator/Project Director is responsible for ensuring compliance with any specific requirements of the grant or contract and for ensuring that all personnel associated with the research also comply with such policies (see UTDPP1065).

Advanced Electrical Characterization Lab (AECL)

The Advanced Electrical Characterization Lab (AECL) is a core facility operated and maintained by the Office of Research and Innovation. This lab is equipped with instrumentation for the electrical characterization of devices and structures on wafers and substrates (up to 200 mm diameter) over a temperature range of -65 to 200 °C. The Cascade probe station is specified to provide current measurement down to fA and capacitance measurement down to tens of fF. For capacitance-voltage (C-V) and current-voltage (I-V) measurements, the lab is equipped with a Keithley 4200-SCS (Semiconductor Characterization System), Agilent 4284, and Agilent 4155. Using the probe station in conjunction with appropriate test equipment coupled with analysis, specific electrical properties of thin-films and devices can be probed to understand device performance and reliability.

The Office of Research Core Facilities (RCF) are organized into several cores:

Cleanroom Research Laboratory

Cleanroom Research Laboratory is a facility with filtered, vertical laminar flow air, equipped with versatile semiconductor process research equipment assembled for the purpose of supporting university research in the fields of microelectronics, electronic materials, nanotechnology, MEMS, lithography, optics, and other areas requiring a particle-free environment.

Genome Center

The UTD Genome Center offers a high-level of expertise in next generation sequencing technology to support research at the University of Texas at Dallas and across the North Dallas area. We provide sample QC, as well as library preparation and sequencing service for Next Generation Sequencing using Nextseq 500 sequencer. We are equipped with the state-of-art instruments for preparing high quality samples for NGS, including a Fragment analyzer, Qubit 3.0 Fluorometer, and QuantStudio 6. Also, a Fluidigm C1 system is available for single-cell sequencing and QuantStudio 6 is available for multiplexing PCR in 384-well block format.

Flow Cytometry Core

The UTD Flow Cytometry or Cell Characterization core offers flow cytometry support to researchers on campus, external users, and is located in the NSERL building. Currently there is a BDAria Fusion for sorting and BDFortessa for analysis. Additional services include assistance in panel design, experimental design, and troubleshooting.

Imaging and Histology Core

The core houses state-of-the-art instruments and technology for researchers on-campus and external users to provide affordable support for basic research and translational research in biological and interdisciplinary sciences. This core facility is operated by Office of Research and Innovation and employs dedicated full-time technical staff to operate and maintain the equipment. The Histology Core provides support for processing and embedding of tissue samples, sectioning and slide preparation, cell culture, and sample imaging.  The Imaging Core houses advanced imaging systems, including an electron microscope, confocal laser scanning microscopes, a multiphoton intravital imaging system, and various other optical microscopes.

Mass Spec Core

The Mass Spectrometry Core (MSC) facility maintained and operated by the Office of Research and Innovation provides services and expertise for the analysis of both small and large molecules to users across campus and to external users. Currently, the MSC facility consists of Waters Xevo-QTof coupled with Acquity UPLC H-class (NSF award 2018188, PI: Dr. Jie Zheng), or nanoAcquity UPLC M-class. Mass Spectrometry Imaging (MSI) with Desorption Electrospray Ionization (DESI-XS) (NIH R01 CA204254, PI: Dr. Baowei Fei), Agilent GCMS EI and SHIMADZU MALDI system.

Small Animal Imaging Facility

The University of Texas at Dallas Small Animal Imaging Facility is located in the Natural Science and Engineering Research Laboratory (NSERL) and provides services for ex vivo and in vivo small animal imaging using three state-of-the art equipment: Bruker BioSpec 3T MRI, MILabs ultra-high resolution Micro-CT equipped with an optical imager, Fujifilm VisualSonics Vevo 3100/LAZR-X for ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging, and an IVIS Lumina Series III for 2D optical imaging. These services are supported by the Office of Research and Innovation with the availability of technical staff to develop protocols and assist with imaging sessions. In addition to the imaging services provided, data processing is available using licensed software offered by the vendors.

The Office of Research and Innovation provides state-of-the-art facilities for the University of Texas at Dallas, including the Natural Science Engineering Research Laboratory (NSERL), Bioengineering and Sciences Building (BSB), Research Operations Center (ROC), and Research Operations Center West (ROW).

researchfacilities@utdallas.edu

The Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) works with UT Dallas researchers and external partners to bring the fruits of UT Dallas innovation to the public through commercialization.

• For information about technologies available for licensing to startups or existing companies, visit our Technology Showcase.
• UT Dallas researchers who wish to submit their invention for assessment should see Forms and Agreements.
• UT Dallas Inventors learn more about the assessment and commercialization process, relevant university policies, and intellectual property.
• Learn about resources for UT Dallas-affiliated startup companies and entrepreneur spaces.
• UT Dallas has spun off over a dozen startup companies.

The OTC is responsible for the management of all innovations that result from research conducted at UT Dallas. The mission of the OTC is to effectively and efficiently facilitate the evaluation, protection, patenting and transfer of commercially viable, UT Dallas innovations for the economic, social, environmental and cultural benefit of the citizens of the region and the state of Texas and society in general. Our goals include:

• Implement processes for the efficient evaluation and management of UT Dallas innovations.
• Effectively transfer commercially viable technologies to the market.
• Create and maintain a world class program for proactively facilitating the creation of UT Dallas Startups.
• Maintain customer-centric operations that will attract and retain UT Dallas commercialization customers including inventors, investors and industry partners

The OTC takes a collaborative, partnering approach when working with inventors, industry partners, and investors. We strive to be flexible, facilitative, market-oriented, and creative with the objective of establishing long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with our faculty and industry partners.

The Office of Research Information Systems (ORIS) provides support and resources to aid researchers in the pursuit of knowledge and scientific advancement. Services offered include data management guidance, website and application development, multimedia communication, and IT support for administrative research staff members.

oris@utdallas.edu