Office of Research

Submit your new project materials to research.office@wrh.on.ca to initiate an Intake Review.

All new research projects to be conducted at Windsor Regional Hospital require a feasibility review by the Office of Research prior to submission to the REB. Intake reviews can be initiated via the submission of draft REB application forms and/or a copy of the study protocol. This review process ensures that projects can be supported with the resources available at WRH while also facilitating any project start-up, from administrative and regulatory support through to full study support. Our feasibility review also includes the completion of Departmental Impact review(s) which are required for your WRH REB application.

All research projects conducted at WRH must have a designated WRH Site Investigator (i.e. clinical staff investigator) who will be responsible for the oversight of the research project.

Once the research Intake Review is complete, a signed letter of no objection is provided to the investigator to include in their REB application package. Investigators are then responsible for submitting their complete REB application packages directly to the REB office. New projects submitted to the REB without a signed letter of no objection will not be accepted.

To submit a research project to WRH Research Ethics Board for approval, your project must first undergo an Intake Review by the Office of Research. During this review, the OoR will provide guidance and administrative review of your REB application to ensure that you have completed all the necessary documents with supporting attachments, and will also facilitate the completion of Departmental Impact reviews that are required for your REB submission. Once the Intake Review is complete, investigators will be provided a signed letter of no objection to include in their REB submission.

For research projects that require both WRH REB and UWindsor REB approval, the WRH REB application forms and documents may be submitted to UWindsor REB.

You can find all WRH REB application documents on the WRH Research Ethics page.

For REB applications to Central REBs: WRH is a participating site for REB applications to Clinical Trials Ontario (CTO) and Ontario Cancer Research Ethics Board (OCREB). To submit an application to CTO, you must first receive approval from WRH REB to use a delegated REB for the project. This approval is facilitated by the Office of Research. Once Research Intake and WRH REB approval are complete, applications submitted to CTO or OCREB will require sign-off in CTO Stream by both the Office of Research and WRH's Institutional Representative. You can find the WRH's SRERS Administration form on CTO's Participating Sites webpage. Email research.office@wrh.on.ca with your study protocol and provincial CTO approval to initiate the review process. 

All individuals (i.e. professional staff, staff, students, trainees, volunteers, etc.) involved in research activities at Windsor Regional Hospital (i.e. any involvement at any WRH or on behalf of WRH, with participants/charts/identifiable data, etc.) are required to complete research training.

Research training certificates should be submitted to the Office of Research research training database. 

Access to all research training courses are linked below. To register for a CITI Program course, you must register for a CITI Program account using WRH's affiliation with the University of Windsor (i.e. University of Windsor (N2)), using your WRH email or your institutional email if you do not have a WRH email.

See below for the required research training by research type.

 

Training Module	Training Requirement	Details
Tri-Council Policy Statement 2: Course on Research Ethics (TCPS2: CORE 2022)	Required for all research types	All modules within the TCPS2: CORE 2022 training course and the Knowledge Consolidation Exercise must be completed. *No expiry unless updated course is released.
WRH REB Privacy Tutorial	Required for all research types	Total tutorial and quiz must be completed. *No expiry unless updated course is released.
Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Basic Course – CITI Program Canada	Required for all Clinical Trials that include a drug or device intervention or required by the sponsor. Required for Health Canada-regulated Clinical Trials	All modules within the GCP course must be completed. *Renewal every 2 years.
Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Informed Consent Module – CITI Program Canada	Required for Clinical Trials where the intervention is only procedural or behavioural, Observational Studies, or Translational Research Studies where patients provide consent	The following select GCP course module must be completed (at minimum):   - Informed Consent * Renewal every 2 years.
Health Canada Division 5 Course – CITI Program Canada	Required for Health Canada Regulated Clinical Trials	All modules within the Health Canada Division 5 course must be completed. *Renewal every 2 years.
Transport of Dangerous Good – CITI Program Canada	Required if research utilizes shipping services for dangerous goods	Only research team members directly involved in the transport of dangerous goods for the research are required to complete course. All modules within the Transport of Dangerous Goods course should be completed. * Renewal every 2 years.

Below are general on-boarding steps for students who are interested in becoming involved in research at Windsor Regional Hospital, either for non-paid academic placement or volunteer experience. (Note: students completing paid co-op placements are to be on-boarded through Human Resources).

Step 1: Students are responsible for finding a WRH Site Investigator (i.e. clinician) who is able to supervise them and the prospective research project at WRH. Students must also have appropriate academic supervision of their research project at their home institution, where applicable.

Step 2: Students must inform Office of Research once WRH Site Investigator and research project are confirmed. Office of Research then forwards student contact information to either Student Registrar (academic placement students) or Volunteer Services Manager (student volunteers) to initiate onboarding process.

Step 3: Student Registrar/Volunteer Services Manager contacts students to distribute on-boarding paperwork and discuss the registration requirements and guidelines, including health screenings, record checks, corporate and research-specific training. Students must complete online WRH Research Training Submission form for review by Office of Research using the following link:

• RESEARCH TRAINING FORM

Step 4: Once cleared to start placement, Student Registrar/Volunteer Services Manager submits access requests on students’ behalf. Student must visit Student Registrar/Volunteer Services Manager in person to obtain ID badge, proximity cards, or Volunteer Uniform prior to meeting with the on-site supervisor.

Step 5: Research Ethics Board Approval:

• New projects: Students participating in a new research project must submit an Office of Research Intake Review Form or a draft of the full REB submission package for review by the Office of Research prior to submission to WRH REB. The Office of Research will review project feasibility, facilitate departmental impact reviews (if applicable), and indicate when submission to REB is appropriate. If you are a student enrolled at the University of Windsor, and the research project is part of your degree program, you must connect with the UWindsor Office of Research Ethics prior to submitting a Research Intake form or REB application at WRH to confirm any necessary UWindsor steps.
• Existing WRH REB approved projects: Students completing a clinical placement at Windsor Regional Hospital who are interested in participating in an ongoing research project as part of their placement must be included in the existing research ethics application via an amendment request prior to engaging in the research.
• Visit the WRH Research Ethics page for more details, including submission forms.

For more information on student placements at WRH visit the Volunteer and Student Services page.

Connie Tomalty, Student Registrar
519-254-5577, ext. 52563
Connie.Tomalty@wrh.on.ca

Volunteer Contact

Metropolitan Campus: (519) 254-5577 ext. 52563
Ouellette Campus: (519) 254-5577 ext. 33673
volunteer@wrh.on.ca

Contracts related to research projects at WRH that require an institutional signature (i.e. data transfer agreements, confidential disclosure agreements, clinical trial agreements), should be submitted to the Office of Research to facilitate legal review and appropriate institutional sign-off. Drafted contracts should be submitted, along with any referenced documents attached, to research.office@wrh.on.ca. We also facilitate the drafting of contract templates to be shared with external collaborators. Please contact us with the details required for the contract and we’ll coordinate the work with the legal team.

WRH researchers are encouraged to apply for research funding opportunities for which they are eligible. Prior to submitting a funding application, the proposed research project should undergo a feasibility review via the Research Intake process to ensure that the project as proposed in the funding application is feasible within WRH resources and within the budget proposed. Submit a draft funding application with budget and/or study protocol, and a copy of the funding opportunity guidelines to research.office@wrh.on.ca.

Through our partnerships with WE-SPARK Health Institute and Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry - Windsor Campus, there are funding programs targeted to WRH researchers:

• WE-SPARK Incentive Grant Program - This grant for up to $20,000 is available to WRH researchers who are WE-SPARK core members to support the resubmission of recently unsuccessful national/international funding applications in subsequent application rounds. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Sign up to be a member of WE-SPARK.
• WE-SPARK Igniting Discovery Grants Program - This grant provides up to $20,000 in seed funding to promote the development of early-stage innovative health research and health education projects. To hold the grant at WRH, the WRH applicant must be a WE-SPARK core member and the Principal Applicant. Sign up to be a member of WE-SPARK.
• Schulich-UWindsor Opportunities for Research Excellence Program (SWORP) - The SWORP program supports a $5,000 stipend for an undergraduate medical education student in first or second year at the Windsor Campus of the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry to participate in a research project under the supervision of a University of Windsor faculty member. WE-SPARK will facilitate obtaining faculty appointments for WRH clinicians interested in working with a SWORP student. Find more information on the SWORP process at WE-SPARK.

The Tayfour and Emara Knowledge Translation Fund (KTF) award supports the costs of research activities that enhance the WRH researcher’s research development and experience. Research activities for the purpose of this fund are defined as: 

1. Registration and eligible travel fees for presenting research at a conference (for trainees); OR
2. Publication fees for publishing researcher in a peer reviewed journal (for WRH professional staff or staff

At the time of the application, the applicant must be an active WRH professional staff or staff member, or a trainee actively engaged in a research project led by an active WRH professional staff or staff member at WRH who is the PI on the project. 

A maximum of $2,000 per research project will be funded (i.e. up to a maximum of $1,000 for conference travel fees and publication fees respectively). In the case of group presentations at a conference, all presenters will be considered as one applicant up to a maximum of $1,000. The Tayfour and Emara KTF awards are provided on a reimbursement basis only. No funds will be issued prior to the completion of the related research activity. Applicants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, until the funds from the award period are exhausted.

Please review the KTF Application Guidelines document below for full details on eligibility requirements and deadlines to apply. Each applicant must complete an Expense Reimbursement Form itemizing all expenses. Applications must be submitted online here: https://redcap.link/WRH_KT_Fund 

• KTF Application Guidelines (Updated August 2024) 
• KTF Expense Breakdown Form

 For any questions, please contact the Office of Research at 519-254-5577 x 52300 or research.office@wrh.on.ca.

There is no correct or absolute way to engage patients and public partners in research; however, there are many different options and opportunities for patients to meaningfully be engaged and make a difference.

The Michael Smith Health Research BC is British Columbia’s health research agency and supports research through programs and resources in the areas of patient-oriented research, clinical trials, research ethics and knowledge translation. They have developed an interactive “road map” that focuses on patient and public partners on a research team, outlining diverse activities that they could engage in across multiple phases of a health research project. The road map allows you to explore the stages of a research study, and to consider the many ways in which patient and public engagement on a health research team could occur.

To connect with the various patient advisory groups across WRH to explore possible research partners, or more information on patient-oriented research, including training opportunities, contact the Office of Research: research.office@wrh.on.ca.

All new clinical trials at WRH, whether sponsor initiated or investigator-initiated, must be reviewed for feasibility through the Research Start-Up Process listed above. The Office of Research can act as liaison with the sponsor/investigator to facilitate the completion of any required documents such as the confidentiality agreement and site feasibility questionnaires. We’ll meet with you and the prospective department to review the protocol, discuss available resources for the trial, and clinical appropriateness for our patient population. If the trial is endorsed to move forward, we'll continue to act as a liaison with the sponsor/investigator to coordinate site initiation steps, including REB submission.

WE-SPARK Health Institute has implemented an Igniting Connections Collaboration Platform that connects researchers with each other based on the type of request and expertise sought. You can submit a request online and they will connect you with potential researchers in Windsor-Essex, including those at WRH. We encourage all WRH researchers to become members of WE-SPARK to broaden the potential connections (and benefit from the perks of membership like access to grant funding!).

WRH REB: If your research project will be completed accessing data from WRH (i.e. patient chart, staff surveys etc), or any part of the research will take place at WRH, you'll submit your ethics application to Windsor Regional Hospital’s Research Ethics Board. If you have an affiliation with another institution, you’ll also need to obtain REB approval from their local REB. For faculty/students at UWindsor, WRH REB applications may be submitted to UWindsor REB.

University of Windsor REB: If you are a clinician and your research will be completed at your private practice in Windsor-Essex, using only data from your practice’s charts, you'll submit your ethics application to UWindsor as a community partner. Find more on the UWindsor Office of Research Ethics webpage.