Adam McClintock has been named director of the UAB Office of the Institutional Review Board for Human Use (IRB) following a national search. McClintock recently served as the human research protections manager for OhioHealth Research & Innovation Institute, and as the operations manager in the Office of Responsible Research Practices at The Ohio State University. His position became effective January 28, 2019.
“I am honored to join the leadership team within the UAB Office of the Vice President for Research, in such a vibrant environment for human subjects research,” McClintock said. “I am eager to begin working with the talented and dedicated individuals who make up the Office of the IRB.”
McClintock is a graduate of The Ohio State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology, and a Master of Business Administration with a focus on business analytics and lean leadership. He holds the Certified IRB Professional certification and has 13 years of experience in human research protections.
The School of Medicine communications team reached out to McClintock to talk about his new role in relation to the SOM.
What excites you about working with faculty and staff in UAB’s School of Medicine?
I find it very exciting that UAB continues to attract and recruit talented faculty and staff from around the country and the globe. I have also had the opportunity to meet numerous faculty and staff who have always called Birmingham and UAB home, which tells me we retain our talent. In meeting with different members of the research community in the short time I have been here, it is evident how passionate they are about how they contribute to the research enterprise. It is fun to be a part of that kind of culture.
What do you think about the research that’s being done in the School of Medicine?
We have an impressive portfolio of research at UAB, both human subjects research and research that does not involve human subjects. I am thrilled to join a research community as dynamic and vibrant as the one here at UAB. Moreover, we have the infrastructure and funding to continue to grow and build upon our fascinating portfolio. The School of Medicine alone lays claim to numerous departments in the upper echelon of NIH funding. The O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center just received the largest single gift in the history of the University. This should have a transformational effect on the development of future cancer treatments discovered through clinical trials. The Kaul Precision Medicine Institute is leveraging informatics, advances in genomics, and other areas to take a new look at treatment options for conditions previously viewed as untreatable. The inaugural Grand Challenge was recently awarded to fund “Healthy Alabama 2030: Live HealthSmart.” This will take a comprehensive approach to developing sustainable improvements in challenges to the health of Alabamians, such as obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure. This is just to name a few of the exciting areas of research in the School of Medicine.
How do you hope to have a positive impact in your new role?
I would like to bring a highly efficient, collaborative, and customer service-oriented approach to facilitate safe and ethical research within the UAB community. This will involve engaging stakeholders in identifying and prioritizing opportunities for improvement, capitalizing on a solid foundation of expertise within the Office of the Institutional Review Board, continuing to develop the staff on an ongoing basis, and using the technology available to us to bring efficiencies in the process.