Like all medical research, human cell and tissue research must adhere to specific regulations and guidelines. The exact mix of regulations and guidelines varies—and varies widely—according to the type of research involved.
Pennsylvania has one of the strictest regulatory environments in the United States today. Even so, all research conducted at Pitt complies with all federal, state and local laws and regulations.
Pitt has many internal processes and protocols to help researchers adhere to the many restrictions, regulations and guidelines that govern their work. Internal partners charged with regulatory oversight of research include: the Human Research Protections Office, Human Stem Cell Oversight, Office of Research Protections, Institutional Review Board and the Biosafety Committee.
The National Institutes of Health has regulatory oversight of all research grants they support and funds the majority of studies at Pitt that involve human cells or tissue.