What We Offer for Research Investigators Resources and Services: Recruitment for studies With an existing database of 2000+ participants that includes a wide range of IDD’s, the HCP recruits for investigator-initiated studies from the pool of existing participants. If there is a need for specific population participant recruitment from outside of the database, the HCP can provide recruitment services such as newspaper advertisements, flyers, parent groups, local chapters of advocacy organizations, and online recruitment through list-serves and special interest websites. Scheduling HCP Core staff members coordinate scheduling of participants to fit in with investigator proposed time slots. Collection of Biosamples As a matter of policy, the HCP Core collects biosamples from each willing participant, performs initial processing of the samples, and has them stored in the Einstein Biorepository. The HCP is also able to collect and process biosamples for investigator initiated studies. Consultation in Study Design The HCP Core provides expert consultation on study design with senior investigators. IRB protocol submissions HCP Core staff are experienced in submitting protocols to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) assisting investigators in: Setting up protocols that involve human subjects to meet the Research Standards and Protection of Human Subjects as set forth in the Declaration of Helsinki and monitored by the college’s IRB Developing and assembling IRB applications in appropriate format About the Database REDCap Database The HCP maintains a central database containing over 2000 participants, in which new participants are constantly being added. The database is implemented with REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) and has multiple tiers of security. Maintenance of a central database ensures that the efforts that go into recruitment and characterization of clinical and typically developing participants for research benefit both individual researchers, and the broader IDDRC research community. The database includes a searchable web-based interface for specific population identification (e.g., Autism, ADHD, High Risk Psychosis, etc.) as well as several other variables to delimit the population of interest in a search (e.g., age, sex, age of parents at birth, etc.). Access to the Database IDDRC investigators automatically have access to basic de-identified information in the database, to determine whether there may be participants that qualify for their study. Investigators outside of the IDDRC must go through a request process with the Data Access Committee (DAC) before having access to the de-identified information in the HCP Core REDCap database. Following initial query of the database, investigators must go through a formal application process with the DAC for recruitment or data analysis. Data Sharing Existing Data The HCP maintains a record of when neuroimaging and genetics data are collected for research participants in its database. Crucially, this provides a link to the different data-housing systems of the various human-centric units and cores at Einstein. The indication of existing data available facilitates the acquisition of pilot data at low or no cost to IDDRC investigators, since existing data can be reanalyzed based on the specifications of an individual project. Collaboration Investigators can learn of relevant projects through this common database and through the ‘Current Projects’ section of our webpage, which enables collaboration among investigators tackling these issues from a variety of complementary approaches.
