ResearchMatch

Access to ResearchMatch is granted on a study-by-study basis. Researchers must individually register each study. Researchers may sign themselves up in ResearchMatch or may delegate recruitment privileges to a study coordinator or other study team member as a proxy.

There are two levels of access available to Ball State investigators: feasibility access and recruitment access.

• Feasibility access: Feasibility access gives researchers the ability to view aggregate data on the registry population without an IRB-approved protocol. To register a study for feasibility access, researchers must:
• Be affiliated with BSU
• Provide the Ball State email address (xxx@bsu.edu)
• Create a ResearchMatch username and password 

• Recruitment access: Recruitment access gives researchers the ability to recruit volunteers through ResearchMatch. To register a study for recruitment access, researchers must meet the same access requirements as for feasibility access. In addition, for each study that wants to recruit for, researchers must:

• Upload an electronic copy of the IRB approval letter, citing approval for the recruitment method (ResearchMatch) and the specific email language to be used;
  • This is the same process of review as for any recruitment message
  • Samples/templates will be available in IRB Resources Page
• Be the principal investigator (PI) or authorized to recruit for the study on behalf of the PI

Notes:

• Individuals accessing as a proxy for the PI will be asked to indicate that, and to provide the study PI's name, email address and phone number.
• While ResearchMatch is primarily aimed at bio-medical research, other disciplines conducting health related research can use this service too. Research that is not health or medically related may be denied access to the service.

ResearchMatch provide a monthly research training via Zoom. All BSU research who want to use ResearchMatch must attend the zoom training before they submit the application.

Monthly Researcher Training (via Zoom): 2^nd Thursday of the month at 3PM (EST) - register here!

1. Key personnel recruiting participants should register themselves as a Researcher on ResearchMatch
2. The study must be IRB-approved. To register the study, you must have 
   • IRB approval to use ResearchMatch as a recruitment method.
   • An IRB approved ResearchMatch advertisement (also referred to as a contact message).

   Tips for ResearchMatch Advertisement (Contact Message)

   • Unlike an email, this recruitment message cannot include study team identifiers or contact information (like emails or phone numbers).
   • Do not include embedded surveys or URLs.
   • The maximum length is 2000 characters. 
   • Please see the ResearchMatch Instruction and Templates for sample materials.
3. Log in to www.researchmatch.org/researcher and register the study in ResearchMatch:
4. If you are not the Principal Investigator (PI), then list yourself as the proxy. The PI will be emailed to approve you as their proxy. 
5. You must upload your IRB Approval Letter with the current expiration date.
6. The liaison will verify that you have IRB approval to use ResearchMatch and that you have an IRB approved ResearchMatch advertisement that does not contain identifiers.
7. Once you are approved, you will have access to search for potential Volunteers and send them your Contact Message.

ResearchMatch allows researchers to search for de-identified volunteers who have registered themselves as being interested in participating in research. The researcher creates a cohort of people that meet some of the key inclusion and exclusion criteria for their study by using filters on ResearchMatch, and then sends their IRB approved message to them via ResearchMatch. 

Interested volunteers create a “profile” with their basic health information. This allows researchers to search for potential participants that meet certain criteria. The potential participant can be sent the IRB approved message about the study and can then choose whether to provide their contact information to the researcher. This is an excellent resource for researchers looking to identify potential participants outside of usual-care settings. The researcher finds the contact information of those interested individuals on their ResearchMatch dashboard and can then contact them directly. View the ResearchMatch instructions for IRB submissions.

ResearchMatch.org Liaisons for BSU:

Please contact the Office of Research Integrity first:

• Michaela Hahn, Human Research Protection Program Manager
• Chris Mangelli, Assistant Vice Provost of Research Integrity and Compliance

Alternate:

• Jackie Davis, Assistant Vice Provost of Research Development and Sponsored Project Initiatives