Memorandum

Einstein and Montefiore are pleased to announce the establishment of a joint Embryonic Stem Cell Research Oversight (ESCRO) Committee. Chaired by Nanette Santoro, M.D., the committee consists of faculty, administrators, and laypeople from a variety of disciplines, with representation from a cross section of our institutions, as well as community representation.

In compliance with national standards, Einstein and Montefiore institutional policy defines the types of research that require review and approval by the ESCRO Committee. This oversight will ensure that all such research is ethical, scientifically sound, and necessary. ESCRO review is required in addition to the requirements for other reviews (e.g. Safety, CCI/IRB, or Animal Institute).

Research projects involving the following types of specimens require review by the ESCRO Committee:

• gametes
• blastocysts
• human embryonic stem cells
• human embryonic stem cell lines (e.g. WiCell)

Review by the full ESCRO committee is generally required, and submissions must be received by the deadline for each month’s meeting. However, research that involves only the in vitro use of de-identified lines (e.g. WiCell) is eligible for an expeditious review by an individual member of the committee on an on-going basis.

If you are involved in, or are planning to initiate, any of these types of research, please review the following documents:

• ESCRO application
• Human Stem Cell Research Policy
• ESCRO and CCI/IRB Review Determination Charts
• ESCRO Meeting Dates and Submission Deadlines (tentative)

Should you have any questions regarding these documents, please contact Melissa Epstein at 718-430-2237 or melissa.epstein@einsteinmed.org.

Thank you for your cooperation.