Policies & Procedures

Initiating a New Research Project at the VUIIS Center for Human Imaging:

New research using the 3T human scanner is initiated with a research proposal. New projects will either be funded or have the goal to collect pilot data for a grant application. All proposals are reviewed and approved by a scientific committee. Approval will be based upon:
--scientific merit
--feasibility of the research on existing equipment
--availability of equipment
--budget review and ability of the investigator to support user fees

Notification of approval will be sent via email within 14 days of the request. Approved proposals will be assigned scanner time based on availability. Continued usage of the scanner will be predicated on progress of work and ability to secure funding.

 

To learn more about conducting research on the 3T scanner at the VUIIS, contact Seth Smith

To learn more about conducting research on the 7T scanner at the VUIIS contact Adam Anderson

Appropriate institutional approval (see below) must also be obtained for all studies, prior to submission to the VUIIS. To submit a request for scanning time, each study must be submitted via the online form, found here. Once received, it will go through an approval process, and if successful, it will be assigned a unique study number.

 

Obtaining Human/Animal Studies Approval:

All research involving human subjects to be conducted at the VUIIS must be approved by the Internal Review Board (IRB). All research involving animals at the VUIIS must have the appropriate IACUC approval.

It shall be the responsibility of the PI to present IRB Consent forms to the technologist to confirm that the consent form has been obtained. It will not be necessary to provide a physical copy of the signed consent form to the VUIIS imaging center. The center will be responsible for asking human subjects to complete a safety form which WILL be retained by the imaging center. IACUC approval documentation copies will be provided to Jarrod True. Email jarrod.true@vumc.org prior to scanning animals on the human imagers.