Compliance Committees
Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects (IRB)
The Upstate IRB reviews and approves ALL research involving human subjects, human tissue, surveys of human subjects, or medical records prior to the initiation of research. This requirement applies to all human subject research conducted by faculty, on‑ and off‑campus, whatever the funding source for the project. The principal investigator (must have faculty status) is responsible for the conduct of the research study including the conduct of other study team members.
IRB Chair
Christopher Morley, PhD, MA, CAS
Professor and Chair of Public Health & Preventative Medicine
Professor of Family Medicine and Psychiatry/Behavioral Sciences
IRB Vice Chair
Danielle Katz, MD
Asst Dean, Graduate Medical Education & Associate Professor of Orthopedics
IRB Review Board Members
David Baines: Community Member and Prisoner Representative
Katalin Banki, MD: Associate Professor of Pathology
Jay Brenner, MD: Vice Chair of Research, Professor, Medical Director, Department of Emergency Medicine, and Medical Director, Geriatric Emergency Medicine Care Unit
Donald Blair, MD: Professor of Medicine
Chantel Eckert, DNP, RN: Clinical Research Compliance Specialist
Grahame Gould, MD: Associate Professor of Neurosurgery
Carolyn Haughton: Community Member
David Lehman, MD, PharmD: Professor of Medicine
Michael Lioudis, MD: Division Chief of Nephrology
Chris Miller, PharmD, BCPS: Associate Director of Pharmacy for Clinical Services; Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine
Rahul Seth, DO: Assistant Professor of Medicine Hematology/Oncology
Jody Sima, MD: Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Brittany Simone, DO: Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology
Şerife Tekin, PhD: Assistant Professor of Bioethics and Humanities
The Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)
The IBC is charged with ensuring that research is performed in a safe environment and in accordance with guidelines promulgated by the National Institutes of Health.
Research that involves the use of infectious agents, human blood/ fresh tissue/body fluids and recombinant DNA must be submitted to the IBC for review. Work with recombinant DNA must be conducted in accordance with NIH Guidelines.
IBC Chair
Paul Massa, Ph.D.
Professor, Neurology
SUNY Upstate Medical University
Upstate Medical University IBC Committee
Paul Massa, Ph.D., IBC Chair
Professor, Neurology
Robert Quinn, D.V.M.
Animal Expert
Director, Laboratory Animal Resources
Associate Professor, Department of Surgery
Robert Andrus, BS, MA
Institutional Biological Safety Officer
Director, Environmental Health and Safety
Elizabeth Ruckdeschel, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Pathology
Jeff Amack, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Cell & Developmental Biology
Carolyn M. Shoen, Ph.D.
Syracuse VA Medical Center Research
Safety Coordinator, Central NY Research Corporation
VA Medical Center
Michelle DeStefano, BS, CBSP
Non-Affiliated Member
Syracuse VA Medical Center
Saravanan Thangamani, Ph.D.
Professor, Microbiology & Immunology
Ms. Bonnie Toms
Laboratory Staff Representative
Department of Pediatrics
Dawn Post, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Urology
Assistant Professor Microbiology & Immunology
Maureen Tarsio
Lab Manager, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
IBC Contact:
Jean Decicco
IBC Administrator
Phone: 315-464-4317
deciccoj@upstate.edu