Research for Me @UNC (RFM) is an initiative of the NC TraCS Research Recruitment & Retention program and serves as a friendly and comprehensive entry point for patients and community members interested in engaging with research at UNC.

The site features a full, searchable directory of UNC research studies and clinical trials that interact with human subjects; this allows potential participants to easily find an opportunity that is right for them or a loved one or to verify that a study they've been contacted about is legitimately associated with UNC.

Additionally, users can find resources to learn about the research process, what it means to participate, features on motivations of participants and researchers alike, as well as other stakeholder engagement opportunities.

The goals of Research for Me @UNC are to:

1. Create a common resource to improve public transparency of, accessibility to, and familiarity with human subjects research done at UNC-Chapel Hill and UNC Health
2. Address and mitigate barriers impacting public awareness of and willingness to engage with research
3. Provide a way for researchers to find collaborators and assess saturation
4. Promote research diversity and inclusiveness by presenting information in non-scientific language and empowering the user to engage with information at their own pace and preference

Researchers

Researchers are required to list any study that involves interaction with human subjects, whether or not they wish to utilize the site as a recruitment tool. This improves transparency and trust with the public while also curating a resource for colleagues to assess topic/population saturation or identify possible collaborative opportunities.

Studies are listed via a REDCap form linked in section B.1.2 of the IRB application; at that time, teams may elect whether they would like to list recruitment information and be contacted by interested potential participants. Researchers can access, manage, and view metrics for their existing listings at any time via the RFM Researcher Dashboard.

Patients and the Public

Users of Research for Me @UNC include UNC Health patients as well as members of the public from all over North Carolina. Users may choose to create a profile which allows some customization options, but they are NOT required to register on the site—it is 100% user driven, so anyone can search or browse without providing personal information. Since its launch in February 2020, the site has been visited by over 40,000 North Carolinians of all ages and backgrounds. Most of our users come to us via MyUNCChart, the UNC Health websites, or by directly searching for UNC research opportunities.