Chair Person
Dr. Mahil Maran, MD (Chest)
Former Director, Institute of Thoracic Medicine
Professor (Retd.), Respiratory Medicine, Madras Medical College

Members
Dr. Ramachandra Butt, MD (Pharmacology)
Professor of Pharmacology, Madras Medical College

Dr. Ramasubramanium, MD
Head, Dept of Infectious Disease, Apollo Hospitals

Dr. Rakhal Gaitonde, MD
Professor, Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies,
Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram

Dr. Jeyaseelan, PhD
Head, Dept of Statistics, CMC, Vellore

Dr. Sreekumaran Nair, PhD
Professor and Head, Dept of Statistics, JIPMER, Pondicherry

Dr. C. Ponnuraja, PhD
Scientist ‘F', ICMR-NIRT

Ms. Kalaivani
Technical Officer-B, ICMR-NIRT

Member Secretary
Dr. G. Narendran, DNB (Chest)
Scientist ‘F', ICMR-NIRT

The NIRT Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC) plays a vital role in ensuring scientific and ethical quality standards in research conducted by the Institution and has been functional since 1978. The basic responsibility of the IEC is to ensure a competent review of all ethical and scientific aspects of the project proposals to provide adequate protection of dignity, rights, and well-being of the potential research participants.

The IEC is an independent body comprising medical, non-medical, scientific, and non-scientific members. The Chair and Vice-Chairperson are non-affiliated with the Institution, while its members include both institutional affiliates and non-affiliates. The Member-Secretary and the Secretariat, who are affiliated with the Institution, coordinate the functional activities of the IEC.

Meetings are scheduled once every two months, during which initial and ongoing reviews of projects are conducted. Need-based unscheduled meetings are also held. The modalities of the initial reviews are classified as exempt, expedited, or full board, depending on the risk involved to the potential research participants and in accordance with the National Ethical Guidelines.

Projects are presented by the study investigators for constructive yet critical review in the full board meetings. The IEC also reviews Serious Adverse Events reported during the implementation of the projects, further ensuring the rights, safety, and well-being of the participants.

The IEC is a nationally registered body with the Drug Controller General of India (Registration No: ECR/135/Inst/TN/2013/RR-16) since 2013, and its functionality is recognized internationally by the Strategic Initiative for Developing Capacity in Ethical Review (SIDCER) since 2017.

Chairperson:

Dr. R. Arun Kumar, MD, PhD (Pharmacology)
Vice-Principal, Professor & HOD, Dept. of Pharmacology,
Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute

Vice-Chairperson:

Dr. T. Aruna, MD
Professor & HOD, Dept. of Pharmacology,
Govt. Kilpauk Medical College

Member Secretary:

Dr. PK. Bhavani, MBBS, MPH, PGDBEME
Scientist – E (Medical), Department of clinical research, ICMR-NIRT

Non-Affiliated Members:

1. Dr. P. Balakrishnan, PhD
Professor & Chief Scientist,
Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS)

2. Dr. A. Sundararajaperumal, DCH, MD
Associate professor,
Institute of Thoracic Medicine, Madras Medical College

3. Dr. D. Ramesh, MD
Professor, Dept. of General Medicine,
Govt. Stanley Medical College

4. Dr. Mohanarani Suhadev, PhD
Former Scientist, ICMR-NIRT

5. Mrs. Radha Raghavan, MBA
Country head (Key account management), Royal Sundaram General Insurance Co. Ltd.

6. Ms. Vadhana Bhaskar, BA, BL
Advocate & Principal Associate, Ganesan & Manuraj Legal LLP

7. Dr. AR. Anand, PhD
Professor & Head, Dept of Microbiology, Sankara Nethralaya

8. Dr. K. Lily Therese, PhD
Former Professor & HOD, Department of Microbiology, Sankara Nethralaya

9. Mrs. Subha Jayaram, (PhD)
Social Behavioural Consultant & Researcher,
SRM School of Public Health, SRMIST

Affiliated Members:

1. Dr. R. Balaji, MD,
Scientist – E (Medical), Department of clinical research, ICMR-NIRT

2. Dr. B. Ramalingam, PhD,
Scientist – F, Department of Immunology, ICMR-NIRT

3. Dr. VN. Azger Dusthackeer, PhD,
Scientist – E, Department of Bacteriology, ICMR-NIRT

Chairperson
Dr. K. Karthikeyan
Community Health Expert & Thematic Lead - Tuberculosis
Karnataka Health Promotion Trust, Rajajinagar, Bengaluru-560044

Vice Chairperson
Mr. Suresh Mariaselvam
Independent Community Development Consultant & Former Adviser-DANIDA/UNFPA/UNDP

Members
Dr. L. Ponnuchamy
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatric Social Work,
National Institute of Mental Health And Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru

Ms. Jacqueline Allenby David
Senior Counsellor, TTK Hospitals, Adyar, Chennai-600020

Mrs. Joseph Julian
Wellness Consultant, SRM Wellness Centre,
SRM Institute of Science & Technology, Kattankulathur-603203

Dr. A. Sylvia Daisy
Associate Professor & Head, Dept. of Social Work,
Madras Christian College, Chennai-600059

Dr. Venkatesh Mathan Kumar
Professor of Psychiatry, Madras Medical College,
Institute of Mental Health, Chennai-600010

Mrs. Subha Jayaram
Social Worker and Behaviour Change Consultant, Chennai

Mrs. S. Shyamala
Director, Thanjai Janaseva Bhavan, Thanjavur

Mr. A. Thajudheen
Patient Champion, Chennai