IRBs in 2025: What’s Really Changing?

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In this conversation, Edye Edens with Nyssa Towsley from UNLV, examine how today’s shifting funding landscape is reshaping IRB operations. Historically, IRBs were built around the assumption that most research would be government-funded. That assumption is being challenged, with changes in funding priorities and availability beginning to influence the volume and nature of submissions.

At UNLV, for example, faculty research submissions show a slight dip in volume and a change in character. With fewer grants available, complex multi-site or multi-cohort studies may give way to more pilot projects and smaller-scale research that can be conducted without significant external funding. This could, in turn, influence IRB turnaround times, since less complex projects may be easier to review. Faculty remain passionate and committed to their research agendas, but the pressures of funding may shape what kinds of studies they are able to pursue.

Despite these shifts, one area that seems more stable is student research submissions. Because students need to complete projects to graduate—and these projects are rarely dependent on outside funding—the volume of student submissions to IRBs is expected to remain consistent. Seasonal surges are still anticipated, particularly around semester deadlines when students are racing to complete their work.

Turnaround times remain a perennial issue. IRBs are constantly balancing faculty and student urgency with the reality of limited staffing and resources. Researchers expect efficiency, while administrators need to ensure compliance and quality. This tension makes turnaround time a critical metric of IRB performance, one that institutions monitor closely and researchers feel directly.

Ultimately, while the character of faculty research may evolve, and funding pressures may drive more modest study designs, student research activity is unlikely to change significantly. IRBs will continue to navigate these competing demands, balancing speed, compliance, and the needs of researchers.

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