Axiom Mentor has a feature that allows RAs and other research support staff to assist investigators with the preparation and submission of protocols for IRB review. To take advantage of this feature, investigators need to use the “Research Coordinator” role. A Research Coordinator (RC) can create and edit protocols, amendments, and reports in Mentor on behalf of Primary Investigators. Investigators can use more than one RC and RCs can be assigned to individual protocols or to all of an investigator’s protocols. This role can be assigned to anyone with an account. (For staff members to serve in this role, they will first need to request an account.) Perhaps best of all, you don’t have to submit an amendment to add an RC to your protocol(s).

Would you like to use Research Coordinators? Here’s how:

Note: For regulatory purposes, it is important to note that Research Coordinator is a support role. If the person serving as your RC is also engaged in the human subjects research, you should list them in your protocol as a Research Assistant or Co-PI.

1. Make sure IRB is selected in the black navigation bar at the top of the page.
2. Click/tap on Research Coordinators in the menu on the left.
3. Click/tap on the “Designate a New Research Coordinator” button.
4. Begin typing the last name of the person you want to designate. A list of persons with last names starting with those letters will appear. Click/tap on the name of the person you want to designate, then click/tap on the “Designate” button.
5. You should now see that person listed under Research Coordinators.
6. “Limited to Assigned Protocols” is the default permissions for RCs. This allows RCs to create new protocols on your behalf and to access and edit only those current protocols to which you assign them. If you want the RC to be able to access and edit all of your protocols, select “Allow Access to All Protocols” from the dropdown menu to the right of the RC’s name in your Research Coordinators list.
7. To assign a specific existing protocol to an RC with limited access, click/tap on My Protocols in the menu on the left.
8. Click/tap on the protocol you want to assign, then click/tap on the “Research Coordinators” button at the top of the page.
9. Use the dropdown menu to select the RC you want to assign, then click/tap on the “Add” button, then click/tap on the “Save” button.

One final note: Although RCs can create and edit protocols and amendments on your behalf, they cannot submit them until you “sign” them (by clicking/tapping on the signature button in the protocol). Once you have signed, you can click/tap Submit yourself or allow the RC to continue working and submit at their discretion.