LEON - Loughborough University Ethics ONline

The online ethics system, LEON, covers submission for ethics review of investigations involving human participants and also integrates the ethical processes relating to research involving animals, animal cells or tissues and security sensitive research.

LEON can be accessed at:

Demonstration Video

Please review the demonstration video and guidance notes below before starting your ethics submission. Studies must not be undertaken without confirmation of a favourable ethics review having been received by email. RETROSPECTIVE CLEARANCE FOR ACTIVITIES ALREADY COMPLETED CANNOT BE GIVEN.

To open your LEON account access the LEON portal.  This creates your account. so that you can access the system.

Further guidance is available below and in the FAQ section within LEON (located under the Help tab at the top of the LEON Homepage).

Quick Start Guidance

This guidance is designed to help you get up and running quickly by providing a concise overview of the essential steps needed to begin using the system.

 

Quick Start Guidance

Review Process

Proposals for ethics review will be considered by the Ethics Review Sub-Committee. The level of review is dependent on the type of submission.

Studies must not be undertaken without confirmation of a favourable ethics review having been received by email. 

Further information is available below.

Review Process

Guidance Notes

The Ethics Review Sub-Committee produces a series of Guidance Notes for Investigators, which are intended to help investigators plan for various aspects of their research.

The Guidance Notes are not intended to include an exhaustive list of factors that should be taken into account, but it is hoped they will encourage investigators to adopt best practice, and familiarise themselves with the appropriate legislation/regulatory frameworks.

Guidance Notes

Supporting Documents

Templates for supporting documents are available through LEON.  These include:

  • Information Sheets
  • Consent Forms
  • Assent Forms

They are located in the Templates Section under the Help tab at the top-right of the LEON Homepage.

Signatory Guidance

If you receive an email notifying you that your signature has been requested please refer to the guidance below.  Further information is provided regarding the signature process.

Signatory Guidance

Amendments

Amendments are changes to studies that have already received a favourable decision from the Ethics Review Sub-Committee.  The type of amendment required will depend on the nature of the changes being made and the type of submission.  The guidance below will indicate which amendment type is required.  If you require further guidance contact LEON@lboro.ac.uk

Amendment requests must be submitted before changes are implemented, they cannot be approved retrospectively.

Amendment Guidance

Ethics Training

Contact Details

If you have any further queries please contact LEON@lboro.ac.uk.

For external applicants without access to the online system and planning to conduct activity on campus that requires ethics review, contact LEON@lboro.ac.uk for details. 

Standard Operating Procedures

 The following Standard Operating Procedures give details of the ethics review processes: