In response to overwhelming feedback provided by the research community during Animal Care & Use Office (ACUO) Quality Assurance Visits, the ability to assign an individual to act on behalf of the Principal Investigator (PI) on a protocol in the eResearch Animal Management (eRAM) system will be available starting Monday, June 10, 2019.
The new PI Proxy Role allows a PI to delegate authority to another individual for the purposes of performing certain actions that were historically designated as ‘PI only’ in eRAM.
A PI Proxy is specific to EACH protocol and can only be assigned by the PI. Once assigned, the PI Proxy will have the ability to perform the following eRAM functions:
- Submit protocols and amendments
- Create new users on the Protocol Personnel page
- Accept EHS findings and recommendations for a protocol
- Create protocol renewals
- Create and complete an Annual Review
- Copy protocols
How to Assign a PI Proxy
To assign a PI Proxy, PIs will need to:
Log in to eRAM
Navigate to EACH protocol for which they wish to assign a PI Proxy
Assign an individual to the new PI Proxy Role via the Protocol Personnel Page*
Review a brief disclaimer statement in eRAM
*Note: Approved protocols will require the submission of a Personnel Amendment (AME). Personnel AMEs are reviewed and approved by the ACUO.
Step-by-step instructions on how to add a new PI Proxy, and for performing each of the functions outlined above, are available via the eRAM Quick Reference Card for PI or PI Proxy Functionality.
It is important to note that the new PI Proxy Role does NOT supersede, or have any impact on the existing functionality of, any other protocol role; it is an additional role that allows the assigned individual to conduct various functions (as outlined above) that only the PI has been able to do.
We anticipate that this role will be most helpful to those individuals who are already assigned to existing eRAM roles such as Editor, Lab Contact, and/or Authorized Signer.
Questions?
If you have additional questions or concerns about how this new functionality may impact your research and/or protocol(s), please contact the Quality Assurance Team in the Animal Care & Use Office at [email protected].
You may also wish to review the complete list of eRAM updates via eRAM’s Release Notes page.