	(Lake Success, NY) - The Biomedical Research Alliance of New York (BRANY) announced the release of a new research protocol template designed to address the needs of social-behavioral-education researchers, as part of Protocol Builder®, a secure, cloud-based protocol writing application.

	The specially-designed template provides a guided, step-by-step protocol-writing process for investigators who specialize in psychology, nursing, education, and other disciplines that are focused on behavioral and social functioning. It is one of several standard and customizable templates offered through Protocol Builder®, including the new NIH IND/IDE template.

	“Social and behavioral research is distinct from biomedical research,” says Jeffrey Cohen, PhD, a principal with HRP Consulting Group, also a division of BRANY. “The process of writing a protocol can be more subtle than an interventional drug study, for example.”

	“Although historically many social behavior researchers have not developed full protocols for their research prior to submitting to an IRB, many institutions are now requesting social behavioral protocol development templates as research in this area continues to grow,” says Kimberly Irvine, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Office for BRANY. BRANY now also has a social behavioral IRB as part of its comprehensive IRB service offering. This new template is a response to our customers’ requests for a tool that provides them with a more comprehensive approach to protocol development for social and behavioral research.

	Protocol Builder® is currently in use at leading academic medical centers and universities as a tool to foster compliance with institutional protocol writing standards among their investigators, including residents and fellows. 

	Protocol Builder® is a division of BRANY, a provider of research support services to hospitals, academic medical centers, and investigators.