Alex Karabanow

Alex Karabanow has extensive experience in research administration, Research Ethics Board (REB) operations as well as research ethics administration, Board leadership, education, process and systems improvement. Alex has worked since 2012 on the development of an institutional authorization model and process bringing innovation to human research protection. He currently serves as a member of the Clinical Research Association of Canada (CRAC) Inaugural Advisory Board and on the Human Research Standards Organization (HRSO) Technical Steering Committee. Alex served as the Inaugural Chair of the Accreditation Council for Human Research Accreditation Canada (HRA Canada) from 2018 to 2023.

Currently, Alex is the Senior Manager of Operations in Clinical Research Services at the University Health Network (UHN), Canada’s largest academic research network. He has been involved in the management of compliance, integrity, planning and communication activities both in healthcare and university environments. Alex has also developed and delivered education in research ethics, institutional authorization and clinical research considerations as a facilitator in UHN’s Quality Clinical Investigator Practices (QCIP) training program targeting new Principal Investigators, Clinical Fellows as well as Clinical Research Fellows and clinical research staff engaging in research involving humans.

Alex is appointed as an Academy Scholar and is on the Leadership Council for The Institute for Education Research (TIER) at UHN. He is an REB Operations Expert representative on the Clinical Trials Ontario College of Reviewers (2014-Present), and has played a leadership role at the Canadian Association of Research Ethics Boards (CAREB-ACCER) as President (2009-2010) and on the Board of Directors (2006-2012). Alex has served as a Research Ethics Board Community Member at the Ontario College of Art and Design (now OCAD University) from 2011 to 2014.

Alex has a Bachelor of Science with a double major in Human Biology and Physiology and a minor in Microbiology from the University of Toronto – Trinity College, a Bachelor of Applied Arts and a Certificate in Economic Analysis from Toronto Metropolitan University, and has completed the UHN-Rotman Leadership Development Program at the University of Toronto.