OPRS Live Electronic Protocol Submission System
OPRS Live - Protocol Submission System
OPRS Live is the online system used by OPRS for protocol submission and review. All research protocol related submissions requiring review by the IRB/OPRS must be submitted via OPRS Live.
The OPRS Live system can be accessed here: https://oprslive.ovcr.uic.edu/
New Users
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New Users
Investigators and research personnel who have not previously used the OPRS Live system must register to gain access.
- Go to https://oprslive.ovcr.uic.edu/and click on “First Time User”.
- Enter your name and UIC email address.*
- You will receive a temporary password via email that can be used to log in for the first time.
- After initial log in, you can change your password by clicking on your name in the upper right corner of the dashboard screen and selecting “Change Password”.
* Registration for OPRS Live may be affected by whether you have completed the minimal Investigator Training requirements, or by a name or email discrepancy in the OPRS research personnel database. If you have problems registering, please contact OPRS at oprslive-irbprocess@uic.edu.
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Creating a Determination Application
Submission of a “Determination of Whether an Activity Represents Human Subjects Research” is an abbreviated process, as these applications do not require Department Head review (please refer to the policy for when a Determination application applies).
- Log in to OPRS Live.
- Select “Start New Determination Application” from the Researcher dashboard.
- Enter the requested information, then Save and Next. Note: Risk level must be “Minimal”. Select “Exempt” for the Review Process and “Exemption” for the Research Type.
- Enter the PI’s email address and click “Lookup”. Confirm the PI by clicking “Accept”. If the PI’s email is unknown, leave the box blank and click “Lookup” to search by name.
- Select “Determination of Whether an Activity Represents Human Subjects Research at UIC” in the drop-down box, then click on “Browse” to select files to upload. Multiple files can be uploaded, but they must be added one at a time.
- Uploaded files will be listed at the bottom of the page. Once all files have been added, click “Next”.
- Check the box to accept the Assurance statement/Terms and Conditions, then click ‘Submit’.
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Creating a New Initial Review Application
Initial Review: Convened, Expedited or Exempt
- Click ‘Start New Submission’ on the Researcher dashboard.
- Select the Submission Type (Initial Review) and provide responses to the subsequent questions.
- If your research involves a Humanitarian Use Device, please contact OPRS to confirm submission requirements.
- If you are submitting for Convened, Expedited, or Exempt review, select “No” for the question “Are you submitting a request for determining whether an activity represents Human Subjects Research?”
- Indicate the College and Department of the Principal Investigator (PI) and click “OK”.
- Enter your protocol title and other requested information, then click “Create”.
- Step 1: Submission Details: Verify and Save the information, then click “Next”.
- Step 2: Forms:
- Complete the “Initial Review Questionnaire”. Be sure to respond to all items. Your responses will identify any attachments that will be required for your submission. Once completed, click “Save & Next” (this form can also be saved as “Incomplete” and returned to later).
- Question 9 asks if you have a separate research protocol. If you are submitting an application for Social/Behavioral/Educational research, the response to this item can be “No”.
- If the PI is a student, resident, or fellow, please answer “Yes” to Question 10.
- After clicking “Save & Next” you should see a list of attachment placeholders on the left side of the page. Items requiring an attachment will be gray. Completed items will be noted by a green circle with a checkmark. All items must be completed (green) before the system will allow a submission.
- Where indicated, OPRS form templates can be downloaded directly via OPRS Live. The same forms are also available for download from the OPRS website.*
- OPRS Live is an “upload” system. All forms and documents must be completed, saved to your computer or cloud/external drive, and uploaded as an attachment. When saving your documents, please use a file name* that identifies the purpose of the document, and that distinguishes it from other attachments.
- Multiple documents can be uploaded under any placeholder. If you have an attachment without a corresponding placeholder, it can be uploaded under “Other Documents”.
- If you have no attachments for “Other Documents” please click on that placeholder and check the box “I have no document to upload”.
- If you see an attachment placeholder that does not apply to your research, or if you appear to be missing an attachment placeholder, please re-review your responses to the web form Questionnaire to ensure that they are correct.
- Complete the “Initial Review Questionnaire”. Be sure to respond to all items. Your responses will identify any attachments that will be required for your submission. Once completed, click “Save & Next” (this form can also be saved as “Incomplete” and returned to later).
*See guidance on ‘Formatting File Names for OPRS Live Attachments’ and access all OPRS forms and templates.
- Step 3: Routing: Confirm the PI, Faculty Sponsor, and Department Head information, as applicable. If the Department Head is a member of the research team, you will need to select an appropriate Department Head Supervisor from the available options. Click “Next”.
- Step 4: Submit: Check the box to accept the Assurance statement/Terms and Conditions, then click ‘Submit’.
Note that while any member of the research team (e.g., Research Coordinator or Co-Investigator) can create a new Initial Review submission, only the PI or Faculty Sponsor may submit the application. If someone other than the PI or Faculty Sponsor has created the submission, the “Notify PI” button will be visible and should be used to inform the PI that an application is pending the final submission.
The PI will receive email updates as the submission is routed for Faculty Sponsor (if applicable) and Department Head approval (if applicable), and when the submission is accepted by the OPRS Front Desk.
Initial Review: Development/Center/Training Grant
- A Development/Center/Training Grant application is submitted using the same steps as the Initial Review application (above), with the following adjustments:
- The Initial Review Questionnaire should be completed as it applies to the Development/Center/Training Grant activities. No research activities involving human subjects are allowed under this type of submission. Therefore, the responses to items related to subject participation, such as attachment of a research protocol, subject population, recruitment and consent materials, etc., should be “No”.
- The Development Only/Center/Training Grant application must be downloaded from the OPRS website and completed. This completed application form can be uploaded in place of the Initial Review application.
- The Risk Level should be “Minimal” and the Review Process should be “Expedited”. For Review Type, select either “Biomedical” or “Social/Behavioral” depending on the type of research that will be conducted after the development period (or for Center/Training grants, based on the primary type of research that will be supported by the grant).
Initial Review: Humanitarian Use Device
Humanitarian Use Device (HUD) submissions require an application form and consent form template that are different from the regular Initial Review materials. HUD-specific documents are available on the OPRS Forms page.
Before starting a new HUD submission, please contact OPRS by phone [(312)-996-1711] or email (uicirb@uic.edu) to notify OPRS of this intention and to confirm that the appropriate materials are provided for review.
Once you have consulted with OPRS:
- Click ‘Start New Submission’ on the Researcher dashboard.
- Select the Submission Type (Initial Review) and provide responses to the subsequent questions:
- Select “Yes” for Humanitarian Use Device.
- Select “Yes” for “Is this a FDA submission?”
- Select “No” for the question “Are you submitting a request for determining whether an activity represents Human Subjects Research?”
- Click “OK”.
- Enter the requested information, then Save and Next.
- Risk level must be “> Minimal” for a HUD submission.
- Select “Convened” for the Review Process and “Biomedical” for the Research Type. Click “Save” and “Next”.
- Enter the PI’s email address and click “Lookup”. Confirm the PI by clicking “Accept”. If the PI’s email is unknown, leave the box blank and click “Lookup” to search by name.
- For each attachment, select the applicable descriptor from the drop-down box, then click on “Browse” to select files to upload.
- Uploaded files should be listed at the bottom of the page. Once all files have been added, click “Next”.
- Check the box to accept the Assurance statement/Terms and Conditions, then click ‘Submit’.
Emergency Use
Please contact OPRS by phone [(312)-996-1711] or email (uicirb@uic.edu) for instructions on submitting an Emergency Use.
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Response to Conditions Required / Response to Deferral
Response to Conditions Required / Response to Deferral
- Click on ‘My Active Protocols’ in the Researcher dashboard.
- You will see a table of your Active and Under Review protocols. Protocols with submissions requiring an action will have a blue “Action” button under the “Action Required” column.
- Click “Action” for the desired protocol and scroll down to see a table of all submissions made for that particular protocol. Individual submissions requiring a response will have a “Submit Response” button in the “Submit Mods” column.
- Click “Submit Response” and verify the information. Click ‘OK’.
- For each form that requires revision, click on the form name and then click “Start Modifications” to unlock the placeholder. Upload the corresponding new/revised documents. Please be sure to attach both a tracked changes and an unmarked (all changes accepted) version of each revised document.
- Tip: You should ONLY click “Start Modifications” if that specific form type requires revision. For example, if you are submitting a revised recruitment flyer, you would only click “Recruitment Material” on the left side bar to make changes.
- Once all revisions have been made, proceed with the Routing and Submit tabs as described above.
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Creating Other Types of Applications (Continuing Review, Amendment, Prompt Report, Final Report)
- Click on ‘Start New Submission’ on the Researcher dashboard.
- Select the Submission Type (i.e., Continuing Review, Amendment, etc.) and enter the Protocol Number. Click ‘OK’.
- Verify the Submission Type, and select the applicable Review Process. Save and Close.
- Verify and Save the Submission Details.
- Follow the steps as noted above for the Initial Review: Convened, Expedited or Exempt to complete the Forms, Routing, and Submit tabs.
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Information for Faculty Sponsors
Approving Student Submissions
- Click on ‘Student Submissions Ready to Approve’ in the Faculty Sponsor dashboard. You will see a list of the student submissions pending your approval.
- Click on the blue Submission ID. You will see the PI and submission details. Here you can download and view the submission documents.
- You can Accept or Reject the submission and enter any comments, then Save. If you Accept the submission, it will be routed to the Department Head for approval (if applicable; if Department Head review is not required, the submission will be sent directly to OPRS). If you Reject the submission, it will revert back to the student PI where any required changes can be made before re-submission.
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Information for Department Heads
Approving a new submission
Initial Review applications submitted for Expedited or Convened review, and Amendment applications to existing protocols that involve a change in Principal Investigator require Department Head review and approval before the submission is routed to OPRS.
From the Department Head dashboard:
- Click on “Approve Submissions as Dept. Head” to view all departmental submissions that are pending department head approval.
- Select the applicable submission. Submission documents can be downloaded for review.
- You can Accept or Reject the submission and enter any comments, then Save. If you Accept the submission, it will be routed to OPRS for intake. If you Reject the submission, it will revert back to the PI where any required changes can be made before re-submission.
Action on behalf of a PI or Faculty Sponsor
In cases where a PI (or Faculty Sponsor) has left the University or is not available to make a submission, the Department Head can submit an application on behalf of the PI. This option is limited to Continuing Reviews, Amendments, Adverse Events, and Final Reports, as a new Initial Review application should not be submitted on behalf of a PI who is no longer at UIC.
From the Department Head dashboard or from the Administration drop-down tab:
- Click on “Action on behalf of PI or FS”.
- Enter the PI’s email or name and Filter. (Only research personnel affiliated to your department can be seen in this screen.)
- After Filtering, you should see an option to “Create New Submission”. For this option, follow the submission steps under Creating Other Types of Applications (Continuing Review, Amendment, Prompt Report, Final Report).