Boston Children's Hospital Electronic Research Portal
CHeRP (Children's Hospital Electronic Research Portal) IRB is an electronic gateway provided by Research Administration for the submission, review, approval and tracking of research protocols at this institution. This application will allow researchers to complete all required IRB protocol forms online and move protocols through all required reviews electronically, including scientific review, department/division sign-off, IRB pre-review, IRB review and any necessary ancillary reviews (CTO, Pharmacy, Radiation Safety, etc.). Log in to CHeRP IRB (note: link will not work from outside of the BCH network).
Web-based training
In order to familiarize PIs and research team members with the CHeRP IRB application there will be required training. You will not be able to submit new applications, continuing reviews, amendments or unanticipated events unless you complete the training. This requirement will apply to the PI and staff designated as able to prepare and submit IRB documents. There will be ongoing classroom and web-based training. You may choose whichever is more convenient but you must complete one.
CHeRP training is available now through NetLearning. Login to NetLearning and search for the CHERP IRB Research Training class.
Instructions to get to NetLearning are:
- From CHB Intranet site, click on “Net learning” under the “Quick Links” menu in the lower right side of the page. You can visit it directly at https://lms.healthcaresource.com/mynetlearning/bostonchildrens.
- Enter your CHB ID# without the CH prefix (i.e. 123456) and click Login.
- GO to section “Enroll in CBL.”
- Please find the course “CHeRP IRB Research Training,” click on the green plus sign, and enroll for the course (You should disable the popup blocker on browser).
- Click “Enroll” next to the “CHeRP IRB Research Training” course
- Now you can launch the course by clicking the link in your My Courses/Classes. CHeRP Training through NetLearning
Protocol SmartForm examples (April 2020 versions)
CHeRP uses “SmartForms” to collect information about your research. This means that the electronic protocol will present questions that are pertinent to your research. For example if you indicate your research uses a drug, specific drug related questions will appear, if you indicate your research is to be performed internationally you will receive additional questions regarding the host site. There are a set of “core questions” that everyone will answer however many other questions will depend on the nature of your research activities. We have been asked if there is a way to show you all the potential questions that may be asked. The following documents represent all the potential questions that could be asked in the various type of protocol submissions. Please realize it is very unlikely that any PI will ever be asked to complete all these questions, however it is a way to show you the possible questions you may need to address. Please note these forms may not be used for submission. You must go into CHeRP and complete the protocol application electronically.
Sample new protocol SmartForms
- New Research Activity
- New Research Activity Limited to Secondary* Use of Biological Material and Data
- Establishment of Human Biological Specimen Repository/Data Registry
- Request for Exemption
- Individual Patient Expanded Access
- Humanitarian Use Device (HUD)
- Reliance on Another IRB
- Projects that lack immediate plans for involvement with human subjects, their data and/or their specimens (i.e.training grants)