Sponsorship and governance

Key governance procedures and contacts for research studies involving animals, or humans, their tissue and/or data.

Governance

Research governance applies to any health or social care related research that involves humans, their tissue, and/or their data. It is defined as the broad range of regulations, principles and standards of good practice that exist to achieve and continuously improve research quality across all aspects of healthcare in the UK and worldwide.

All health research involving humans, their tissue or data requires a sponsor;  this is based on the UK Research Governance Framework for Health and Social Care Research.  The sponsor is not the funder; it is the institution that takes responsibility for the overall management and conduct of a study and ensures that, for example:

• the project is legal, feasible and safe
• insurance and indemnity are in place
• correct approvals are in place.

The sponsor is also not responsible for giving an ethical opinion. All research studies conducted by researchers affiliated with CMVM will have to obtain ethical opinion separately from sponsorship. 

Research ethics support  

Getting sponsorship for your research

The University's Sponsorship team for CMVM is based within the Academic and Clinical Central Office for Research and Development (ACCORD); a joint office between UoE and NHS Lothian.  Please contact the ACCORD team as soon as possible when planning a healthcare-related research study for sponsorship review and advice ensuring your clinical research fulfils legal, regulatory, ethical and scientific obligations. This needs to be done well in advance before the research is due to start. 

ACCORD website

ACCORD leaflets

Animals used in biomedical research

Bioresearch & Veterinary Services (BVS) are responsible for the housing, care and management of animals used in biomedical research at the University as well as the provision of Home Office, veterinary and technical support for our scientific staff to ensure high quality research, optimal animal welfare and compliance with all relevant legislation.

Animal research at the University is reviewed by a local Animal Welfare and Ethics Review Body (AWERB) and regulated by the Home Office via a three tier system of licences.

If you require further information, please contact: bvshov@ed.ac.uk

Bioresearch & Veterinary Services website

Animal Welfare and Ethics Review Body (AWERB)