“Scientific Research involving Humans” is any scientific research in which human subjects are involved through direct and active participation, by giving material from their body (including genetic material), or taking part in interviews, completion of questionnaires, etc., and which is carried out by the researcher at the University, or in its name.

Every such research requires the approval of the Faculty (or inter-Faculty) Ethics Committee.  The Ethics Committee may exempt certain types of research from the obligation to obtain approval (such as opinion polls).

Research involving humans will be planned with care regarding the welfare, honor, privacy, and physical well-being of the participants.

No research shall be carried out regarding a person without his/her approval in advance, based on a clear explanation of the purpose of his research and its process (exceptions to the rule are specified in the Regulations).

As a rule, repeated use of anonymous samples can be made without additional approval.

The Regulations set limitations on providing research results to participants, for example, information on genetic relations.

Information on personal matters pertaining to participants is confidential and may not be used or revealed, other than strictly for purposes for which the research is being carried out.

Carrying out research involving humans without the approval of the Ethics Committee is contrary to the regulations and constitutes a disciplinary offence.

Personal or environmental hazards must be reported to the Department of Safety and Occupational Health of the University.  Hebrew University faculty, researchers and students must abide by all the safety regulations, a copy of which may be obtained from the Department or Faculty secretariat.

The Department may provide you with advice and assistance on the following issues:  Safety regarding dangerous and toxic materials; risks of ionized and non-ionized radiation; biological risks and genetic engineering; air pollution; working environment; treatment of dangerous waste; personal protective equipment; work accidents; fire safety and conduct in case of a fire; evacuation of casualties.

A copy of the detailed regulations regarding "Chemical Safety in Student Laboratories", as well as other detailed information for persons working with dangerous materials, is available from the Department of Safety and Occupational Health (telephone: 02 6584014), in English as well. 

There are safety officers on campus who may be reached during working hours at the following numbers:

In carrying out research, research workers at the Hebrew University, (visiting faculty included) must be unbiased.  Their professional judgment should at all times be exercised independently, and extraneous interests should never be permitted to influence them in any aspect of their research.  The University requires disclosure of all interests that are, or might appear, likely to bias research or improperly to influence decisions which can affect its progress.  Disclosure makes it possible to take appropriate steps in order to ensure that research is carried out in an unbiased manner, independently and professionally.

The University has established a Conflict of Interest Committee to monitor and resolve emerging conflicts of interest in research and to give advice on situations that may develop into conflicts of interest.

Breach of the rules concerning conflict of interest contained in University's Conflict of Interest Code, as well as non-compliance with any decision of the Conflict of Interest Committee, is considered a disciplinary offence.

Research workers have a conflict of interest when there is a real, perceived or potential possibility that some extraneous interest will compromise the unbiased, independent and professional judgment required in academic research.

Research workers of the University include anyone involved in the design, the application for funding, the conduct or the reporting of research or in decisions affecting its commercialization and anyone else using University resources and/or involved in research together with any of the above.

The Israeli Patent Law and the Copyright Law provide that any invention or creation developed by an employee in the course of or as a result of his/her employment belongs to the employer. Employees must notify the employer of any such work or inventions developed in the course of his/her employment.

The name of the Hebrew University, its symbol, letterhead and website are the property of the Hebrew University and are intended for use for the purpose of the University in the framework of its activities.

• Employees must indicate their affiliation with the Hebrew University in all their scientific or professional publications, at lectures, at academic or professional conferences, in public appearances in the written or electronic media and in matters connected with their scientific activities.
• Employees may not invoke the name of the Hebrew University, nor use its symbol, letterhead or website, nor indicate affiliation with the Hebrew University, in relation to matters which are not connected to University work or activity, whether in articles, letters to the editor, public appearances or in the media or otherwise, nor for any political purposes, nor any commercial purposes unless authorized by the University.

1. Experiments on animals will be carried out only by a researcher authorized by the relevant University Committee and trained in the field of minimizing suffering of laboratory animals according to the rules set.
2. An authorized researcher who wishes to carry out an experiment on animals must  receive permission from the Faculty Committee, set up for this purpose.
1. Every experiment must have written permission in advance from the Faculty Committee, including a repeat experiment on the same animal or an experiment which was initially not carried out.  Permission for experiments whose sole purpose is teaching is required only regarding the methods and its principles.
2. The responsibility for receiving authorization, an appropriate permit and fully timely reports, rests, by law, on the researcher conducting the experiment.
3. Upon completion of the experiment, the researcher must report to the Faculty Committee on the aim of the experiment, its procedure and its results.
4. An experiment involving animals, which violates the regulations of the Law, or deviates from the given permit, constitutes a criminal offense which may carry the penalty of at least one year in prison.
5. The University's Ethics Committee has issued a pamphlet with detailed guidelines. Please request this pamphlet and review it carefully before planning or initiating animal research.

Researchers are expected to comply fully with all laws and regulations governing their activities.