Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is data that can directly or indirectly identify a specific individual, such as name, date of birth, address, or unique identifiers.
In research, PII may be present in screening logs, consent documentation, subject contact information, and linked datasets. Protecting PII requires role-based access, encryption, controlled sharing, and clear retention or disposal practices. Minimizing PII exposure reduces privacy risk and supports compliant data processing across vendors and systems. Strong PII controls are essential for trustworthy research operations and cybersecurity readiness.