The Cognitive Function and Ageing Studies
Collaborative Study Proposal
Investigators wishing to collaborate with CFAS are welcome to propose new studies or new
analyses. Non-CFAS investigators are encouraged to work in collaboration with a senior
investigator from one of the CFAS centres (Cambridge, Wales, Liverpool, Newcastle,
Nottingham, Oxford and Sheffield). Please contact the appropriate CFAS investigator directly
prior to submitting an application form for consideration by the CFAS Management Committee
(CMC).
Data applications:
Please complete a data application form and the Data transfer agreement form which must be
countersigned by either the applicants Departmental Head of their Institute or the sponsor of the
proposed study.
Tissue Application forms:
Please complete a Biological Resource application form and the Material Transfer Agreement
form.
Ancillary Projects of previously approved studies:
Please complete an ancillary study proposal form together with a Material Transfer Agreement
form and if required a Data transfer agreement form.
Additional Information: Costs for the proposed studies must also be reviewed by CMC before
final approval. Such costs are those that involve transmission of data, and, when applicable,
transmission of biological samples, where specific contract agreement detailing the financial
arrangements should be drawn up.
If new data are collected as part of the proposed study, all these data will be deposited into the
CFAS archive for integration into the main database. The proposed study principal investigator
is initially given the primary and exclusive right to analyse and publish the data for a one-year
period following submission of the data to the Coordinating Centre. After this period, these data
become accessible to other investigators.
The completed forms should be sent to Linda Barnes, at the Coordinating Centre
(leb22@medschl.cam.ac.uk), who will circulate them to CMC for review, 2-3 weeks should be
allowed for completion of the approval process which will be conditional on the signature of the
Data Transfer Agreement and Materials Transfer Agreements. Approval of studies will be
acknowledged by e-mail.
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Publications
Once a manuscript is ready for publication, it should be submitted to the Coordinating Centre
(leb22@medschl.cam.ac.uk)for review by the CMC prior to publication submission. It cannot be
submitted for publication without study approval. Analyses relevant to the Biological Tissue
Resource also will be scrutinised by the Biological Resource Advisory Committee (BRAC), with
an independent chair and 2 honest brokers. Please see the full Authorship and Publication
policy on the CFAS website; www.cfas.ac.uk.
The Coordinating Centre will submit the manuscript to CFAS CMC for general comments, and
also designate 2 or 3 reviewers to formally make comments and suggestions to the manuscript,
3-4 weeks should be allowed for reviewing process. After receiving the comments, the
investigator should address all suggestions made and resubmit it to Coordinating Centre for
approval to submit.
Following approval of a study if it is intended that someone other than the investigator named in
the application such as students or other collaborators conduct further/separate analysis a
separate Ancillary study application form must be submitted detailing the proposed work to the
coordinating centre.
Philosophical approach:
We are very proud of our resources and are extremely grateful to the participants and their
families who have entrusted us with their data and tissues for the benefit of future generations.
We believe that not to waste such a precious resource is paramount. This study is one of the
few from which population relevant statements can be made in relation to biological and
molecular findings. Therefore, the principal for approval of collaborative studies for CFAS is that
they should be hypothesis-driven and all analysis be performed on blinded data. Analysis must
be planned a priori, seeking to address a specific, measurable, and answerable question for
which CFAS is the most appropriate study. A well-constructed hypothesis is clear, testable and
will serve as the basis for constructing a clear set of analyses that will allow either its
acceptance or rejection. All data and derived data generated on CFAS must be returned to the
data archive. Investigators who break these agreements will be reported to the MRC, their
funding agency and to their academic institutions.
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