Conflict of Interest
Overview
As a public institution, USF has the responsibility for ensuring that all its activities, including those related to research, are carried out responsibly, and with the highest degree of integrity. The purpose of the Conflict of Interest Program is to review and manage all potential financial conflicts of interest as well as personal conflicts of interest that have the potential to bias research.
conflict of interest Criteria
Under USF Policy 0-309, an Investigator on a USF research project may have an Individual Conflict of Interest if they:
- Have financial interests or proprietary interests
- Wish to employ a related person on the project
- Wish to engage in activities of an entrepreneurial nature that could pose an actual or potential Conflict of Interest with research in which the Investigator is participating
Such conflicts are not prohibited, nor are they inherently unethical. However, these potential conflicts must be disclosed by the Investigator, reviewed by USF, and the conflicts managed or eliminated before the research may proceed.
Under USF Policy 0-317, an Institutional Conflict of Interest applies when the financial interests of USF or a USF official, acting within his or her authority on behalf of USF, may affect or appear to affect the research conducted under the auspices of the institution. These financial interests can include:
- Royalties
- Non-publcly traded equity
- Publicly trade equity
- Gifts from sponsors
investigator Disclosure requirements
Investigators, regardless of funding source, who have a conflict of interest with a USF research project must access the eCOI disclosure system and complete a Project Specific Disclosure to disclose the investigator's interests, and/or those of the investigator's immediate family. All investigators must submit an Interest Inventory prior to proposal submission to a federal agency.
Certification for proposal submission
Conflict of Interest certifications are sometimes required prior to proposal submission. This may require the COI Program to provide the sponsor with a management plan in the proposal submission or to request a waiver in advance of the proposal to allow for a submission with a COI present. The COI Program reviews SBIR/STTR proposals prior to submission and must receive those referrals from departments and/or Sponsored Research Administrators during the letter of support preparation process via email.
Conflict of Interest Committee
The primary responsibility of the USF Conflict of Interest Committee is to review Conflict of Interest disclosures of investigators who conduct USF research (human subjects, animal and basic science) and to develop management plans with safeguards to ensure that the financial or personal interests disclosed by those investigators will not bias the design, conduct or reporting of the research.
| Date | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| September 24, 2024 | 3:30 p.m. | Microsoft Teams |
| October 22, 2024 | 3:30 p.m. | Microsoft Teams |
| November 19, 2024 | 3:30 p.m. | Microsoft Teams |
| December 17, 2024 | 3:30 p.m. | Microsoft Teams |
All dates are subject to change. If you have any questions regarding this schedule, please contact the COI office at (813) 974-5638.