Facilities & resources

As researchers and their teams develop their hypotheses and/or research questions, the team should also identify space requirements and ensure they have access to and the support of the hosting department or organization. This planning can include securing specialized facilities, or budgeting for specific equipment, supplies, tailored services, or specialized personnel. Now it is also the time to think about what symposia or conferences the scientific team may wish to attend to disseminate the results of their research. Including travel costs in a sponsored budget can reduce administrative complications in travel procurement during the project execution.

Roles
  • Principal Investigators (PIs) are responsible for identifying and securing facilities and resources needed to conduct their research programs and projects.
  • The research support is available to assist researchers, their teams, and department research administrators interpreting sponsor requirements related to facilities and resources in proposals.
Plan
  • Review and confirm all sponsor requirements related to identification and availability of facilities and resources prior to submitting the final application.
  • Specialized training or approvals may be required to use certain facilities or resources. Identify policies, procedures, training or access requirements. Ensure proposed personnel are eligible and qualified for needed approvals.
  • If your research will require the space or expertise of another researcher, be sure to have their support in writing to include in your proposal documentation. Sponsors may have specific requirements for documenting expertise and commitment.
  • Identify these requirements in an early stage to prevent delays later in the process.
Space

Documenting space available to conduct your research will include descriptions of the area available for the proposed activities. This may include laboratory space, clinical space, capacity and access to animal facilities, computer equipment for data collection and analysis, as well as office resources available to the team and administration. If you are applying for externally funded research it will be critical to review sponsor requirements related to space commitments. Additionally, the use of space not under the direction of the research team may require letters of assurance or commitment.

Equipment

Identifying equipment needed to complete the aims of the project is another important step in the Design, Plan & Propose stage, and another area where it will be important to review sponsor requirements. Equipment as well as space not under the direction of the proposed research team may require assurances. Or, if equipment will be purchased, this is the time to plan for this expense by including it into the proposed budget.

Human Subjects Research Considerations

For further information see Amsterdam UMC Code of Conduct and Amsterdam UMC support. And see under Law & regulations.  

Animal Research Considerations

For further information see Amsterdam UMC Code of Conduct and Amsterdam UMC support. And see under Law & regulations.

Environmental Health and Safety Considerations
  • Use the organizational Safety Guide to determine if the proposed (lab) space is safety compliant.
Budget development

Think about budgeting supplies, travel, and personnel, as well as direct and indirect costs that might come-up. (Grant)Sponsors will have unique definitions and requirements for describing the quality of the resources and budgeting. Also see Financial items Checklist. 

AMC Medical Research B.V. (AMR) supports Amsterdam UMC researchers and employees, by taking care of the financial management and Human Resource (HR) aspects of their externally funded research projects in a transparent, efficient and legitimate way.

Legal Research Support (LRS, intranet) provides various types of legal services regarding your research, including the review and drafting of (medical) research related agreements.

Innovation Exchange Amsterdam (IXA) is the expert interface between Amsterdam-based academic institutions and parties interested in their research findings and knowledge, such as companies, educational institutions, health care providers, government bodies and societal organizations. For example, they can assist with finding and securing financial support and identifying the best valorization strategy.