Prepare for the Novelution IRB Module Launch on August 17

July 16, 2026

We are pleased to announce that the IRB Module in Novelution will go live on Monday, August 17!

Novelution is the Office of Research & Innovation's upgraded electronic research administration system that will gradually replace COEUS and DragonSPOT. The platform is designed to streamline research administration through improved functionality, greater transparency, and a more integrated experience for investigators, administrators, and research support staff. The revised launch timeline has allowed the project team additional time to incorporate user feedback, complete testing, and ensure a successful implementation.

As we prepare for IRB go-live, there are several steps you can take now to ensure a smooth transition.

How to Prepare for IRB Module Go-Live

Join our upcoming webinar, “Novelution Update: Launch Overview & Roadmap” on Thursday, July 23 at noon. This session will provide additional information about the launch and what to expect during the transition. Register here.
Attend Office Hours: Drop-in office hours will be offered regularly throughout the weeks leading up to launch. The first session will be held on Tuesday, July 28. Stay tuned for details on the full schedule and how to register!
CITI Trainings: All members of the research community should link their CITI Profile to Novelution to ensure their training records are up to date. This can be done by either setting your Drexel email address as your preferred CITI email account or updating your CITI email in Novelution after go-live. If a study team member’s CITI account is not linked correctly, completed training will not feed accurately into Novelution and may appear as incomplete. Affiliation instructions, the training matrix, and FAQs are available on ORI’s CITI Training webpage.
COI Disclosures: Protocol-specific Conflicts of Interest (COI) disclosures for all study team personnel should continue to be completed via SmartSheet prior to submitting in COEUS or Novelution when live. COI disclosures will remain in SmartSheet until the Novelution COI module is launched. Additional information can be found on the Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI) webpage.
Study Closures: Be sure to close any IRB studies in COEUS that are no longer active. Learn more about when studies may be closed.
Understand that many posted templates related to IRB submissions will remain in effect and available on the HRP/IRB website for study teams to access (consent templates, Exempt Research Information Sheet, HIPAA Authorization, etc.). Some forms will be replaced by the system itself and will no longer be utilized (HRP-503 Protocol Template, HRP-214 Reportable New Information Form, etc.).
Download and securely save copies of approved protocols, recruitment materials, and other IRB documentation from COEUS. These documents may be needed for future submissions or reviews in Novelution.
Be mindful of the timing of new submissions, modifications, and renewals as we approach August 17. See additional guidance below.

Submission Guidance

Initial Submissions: You may continue submitting in COEUS prior to go-live. However, submissions initiated in COEUS that remain in progress at go-live may require additional steps to transition into Novelution. To minimize the need for transition between systems, consider either submitting as early as possible before August 17or waiting until after go-live, when appropriate. Initial reviews of new research submitted via COEUS by August 16 that pass the screening will still be reviewed by the IRB in COEUS. Any initial reviews of new research submitted after August 17 will need to be submitted via Novelution.
Renewals: To avoid a lapse in approval, please submit renewals for studies expiring before August 16 as soon as possible in COEUS.
Modifications: If a modification is time-sensitive, please submit it in COEUS prior to go-live. For non-urgent modifications, consider waiting until after August 16 to submit in Novelution. COEUS will remain active during the transition period to support continuity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will COEUS shut down after August 17? No. COEUS will remain active during the transition period to support continuity of review and ongoing study management.
What happens if my study is mid-review? If your initial submission is received in COEUS by August 16 and successfully passes the IRB screening step, we will make every effort to continue reviewing it in COEUS. Submissions received by August 16 that do not pass screening due to incomplete materials or required revisions will need to be submitted in Novelution after go-live. If a submission was started in COEUS but not fully processed by go-live, additional administrative steps may be required to transition the record.
What if I submit in the wrong system? After August 17, new research must be submitted in Novelution and no new submissions will be accepted in COEUS. If a new submission is entered into COEUS after August 16, you may be asked to resubmit it in Novelution.
Will my historical records still be accessible? Yes, historical records will remain accessible in COEUS.

Please visit the Novelution Hub for ongoing updates and resources. The Novelution Hub will serve as the central resource for transition guidance and FAQs.

For questions about IRB processes, contact hrpp@drexel.edu. For questions related to the Novelution implementation, contact novelution_info@drexel.edu.

Thank you for your continued partnership throughout this project. Over the past several months, feedback from user testing has helped us refine and strengthen Novelution, and we look forward to continuing to improve the system based on your experiences after launch.

Keep an eye out for further communications regarding the Sponsored Research module launch, which is anticipated for later this year!

Best,

Novelution Implementation Project Team