Compliance Management Overview

Research involving human subjects or animals requires institutional review and ongoing compliance monitoring. AcaTrove's compliance module centralizes this process, providing tools for protocol creation, review workflow management, approval tracking, and renewal reminders.

Accessing Compliance

Navigate to /compliance from the sidebar. The compliance dashboard shows a summary of your active protocols, upcoming renewals, and pending reviews.

Compliance dashboard with active protocols and upcoming deadlines

What the Compliance Module Covers

AcaTrove supports compliance workflows for two primary regulatory areas:

Institutional Review Board (IRB) -- For research involving human participants. The IRB module supports protocol creation, risk assessment, informed consent document management, review workflows, and ongoing monitoring. See IRB Protocol Management for details.

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) -- For research involving animals. The IACUC module covers species and procedure documentation, pain classification, veterinary review integration, and annual reporting. See IACUC Compliance for details.

Compliance Dashboard

The compliance dashboard provides at-a-glance status for all your regulatory activities:

• Active Protocols -- Protocols with current approval, showing their approval date and expiration.
• Pending Reviews -- Protocols submitted for review but not yet approved.
• Expiring Soon -- Protocols whose approval expires within the next 60 days, requiring renewal.
• Action Required -- Protocols where the review board has requested modifications, additional information, or responses to concerns.

Each section includes a count badge and links directly to the relevant protocols.

Protocol Lifecycle

All compliance protocols follow a standard lifecycle:

1. Draft -- You create the protocol and fill in required sections. It can be edited freely.
2. Submitted -- You submit the protocol for review. It enters the review queue.
3. Under Review -- The review board (IRB or IACUC) evaluates the protocol.
4. Modifications Required -- The board requests changes. You revise and resubmit.
5. Approved -- The protocol is approved for a defined period (typically one year).
6. Active -- Research can proceed under the approved protocol.
7. Renewal Required -- The approval period is ending. You must submit a renewal.
8. Expired -- The approval has lapsed. Research must stop until renewal is granted.
9. Closed -- The study is complete and the protocol is formally closed.

Notifications and Reminders

AcaTrove sends automated reminders for compliance deadlines:

• 90, 60, and 30 days before protocol expiration.
• When a review board requests modifications.
• When a protocol is approved or rejected.
• When annual or continuing review reports are due.

Configure your notification preferences under Settings > Notifications.

Roles and Permissions

Compliance features are available to all workspace members, but certain actions require specific roles:

• Researchers can create, edit, and submit protocols.
• IRB/IACUC Board Members can review and take action on submitted protocols.
• Compliance Officers (administrators) can configure review workflows and manage board membership.

Tips

• Start your protocol well in advance of your planned research start date. IRB reviews typically take 4-8 weeks; IACUC reviews may take longer.
• Use the compliance dashboard as your primary check-in point for all regulatory activities.
• Link compliance protocols to the corresponding projects so all team members can see the compliance status of their research.