All applicants must complete the YNiC Project Proposal Form (which can
be found at https://www.ynic.york.ac.uk/information/application) and send it electronically to the Centre Manager
<centre.manager@ynic.york.ac.uk>. You will then be invited to
make a project presentation, at which point you will have the opportunity to
meet relevant members of the team and discuss your ideas and requirements.
Depending on the outcome of these discussions you will be advised on how
best to pursue your formal Research Ethics and Governance
application.
Once you have submitted a project proposal, you will be asked to come and make a project presentation at YNiC. The objective of this presentation is to provide YNiC with an early indication of the project requirements and how best to support them. There is also the opportunity to benefit from the experience of the wider user community to optimise your study. Some investigators, with little background in neuroimaging, may feel unable to pursue their project without input from more experienced neuroimagers. This presentation also provides the forum to meet potential collaborators.
After presentations have been made investigators, or investigators with their collaborators, will be expected to develop an action plan so that a full application to the Research Governance Committee (RGC) can be submitted. It is the responsibility of the investigator to complete the application, but guidance on this procedure and the centre’s resources will be provided by your SLO.
The presentation, or the discussion generated by the presentation, should cover the following points. Some investigators may not be able to provide specific information concerning all these issues. It is hoped, however, that discussions prompted by the presentation will assist the applicant in finalizing these details.
What is the background to the study?
Why is the study important?
What is/are the hypothesis(es)?
Why is neuroimaging an appropriate methodology to address the hypothesis?
What task and stimuli will be used?
What is the study design?
How will the data be analysed?
What is the timescale of the study?
How many participants will be scanned?
If a project at YNiC is to be the subject of a grant application,
costing information (especially that relating to pFACT) must be sought
from the Director of YNiC, Professor Gary Green
<gary.green@ynic.york.ac.uk>.
Guidelines on preparing a full RGC application can be found at https://www.ynic.york.ac.uk/information/application.
Following the meeting of the RGC your application will receive notification of the body’s decision. Under some circumstances a revised application may be requested or, more rarely, a meeting between you and the RGC may be called to discuss the details of your proposal in more detail. Once your project is approved you will be asked to sign a hardcopy of your application form. The RGC will also allocate a certain amount of scanning time for your project and provide you with some guidance specific to your study, along with general guidelines regarding participant handling during your study.