Research Support
Compliance, Analytics, Risk & Ethics (CARE)
Advancing research integrity, compliance & excellence
Compliance, Analytics, Risk & Ethics (CARE) serves as the cornerstone for promoting integrity, accountability, and operational excellence across all research activities at the 色色研究所 (USF). CARE unifies the functions of Research Integrity & Compliance and Institutional Research Effectiveness & Assessment into a comprehensive framework that ensures the University鈥檚 research enterprise operates ethically, responsibly and in full alignment with institutional, state, federal, and sponsor requirements.
Our mission is to protect the integrity of research, strengthen institutional compliance, manage risk and support continuous improvement across the research lifecycle. Through coordinated oversight, expert guidance, and rigorous assessment practices, CARE empowers researchers to meet regulatory expectations, uphold ethical standards and advance the quality, credibility and impact of USF鈥檚 research portfolio.
Key Areas of Focus
CARE鈥檚 work is organized into four integrated domains that collectively strengthen USF鈥檚 compliance posture and research governance:
1. Research Ethics & Regulatory Compliance
Oversight of federally regulated research programs, including:
- Human subjects protections (IRB)
- Animal care and use (IACUC)
- Biosafety and radiation safety
- Conflict of interest disclosure and management
- Diving safety
- Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR)
- Regulatory adherence under 45 CFR 46; USDA; OLAW; FDA; NRC; OSHA
CARE ensures that research conducted at USF meets the highest ethical and regulatory standards.
2. Research Administration & Data Governance
Oversight of enterprise-level research data governance and compliance functions, including:
- Institutional reporting
- Data integrity, validation, and audit traceability
- Subrecipient risk assessment and monitoring
- Execution of subawards issued under sponsored projects passed through USF
- Issuance, review, and compliance monitoring of data transfer use agreements
- Coordination of internal and external audits and related corrective actions
- Establishment of consistent data governance standards and internal controls
CARE ensures accuracy, defensibility, and transparency in institutional research data, reporting, contracting, and data-sharing practices.
3. Research Security & Risk Management
Protection of the University鈥檚 research ecosystem through:
- Export control and international collaboration review (ITAR, EAR)
- NSPM-33 research security implementation
- Foreign influence risk assessment and mitigation
- Research security incident response and institutional coordination
- Enterprise risk identification, evaluation and mitigation strategies
CARE safeguards research assets and ensures institutional resilience in a rapidly evolving security environment.
4. Institutional Support, Training & Quality Improvement
Development and continuous improvement of the policies, training, and systems that support compliant and responsible research:
- Governance and harmonization of research compliance policies and SOPs
- Compliance, ethics and research security training for faculty, staff, and students
- Quality assurance and quality improvement (QA/QI) programs across CARE functions
- Development of resources that promote transparency, accountability, and informed decision-making
CARE builds institutional capacity through education, clarity, and continuous improvement.
USF Research鈥檚 Commitment
By fostering collaboration, strengthening institutional controls and providing expert support, CARE ensures that USF remains a trusted leader in advancing knowledge while upholding the highest standards of research integrity, compliance, security, and operational effectiveness.