Action Plan

The Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC) is a network that stimulates interdisciplinary exchange of knowledge and expertise on topics related to brain and cognition. We warmly invite you to become part of that network by filling out this questionnaire. 

One of the facilities that is within reach for LIBC members, is the LIBC MRI scanner. If you are planning on using that scanner for a research project, the first step is to inform the LIBC that you are setting up your own MRI project by sending an e-mail to supportlibc@lumc.nl. 

The LIBC support team will then invite you to schedule a brief introductory meeting so we can get acquainted and talk about your needs and expectations. This ensures that the collaboration will be optimal from the start. 

The next step is to write your research protocol. Once you have finished the writing process, please send a copy to supportlibc@lumc.nl so the LIBC can assess its technical feasibility, keeping our scanner in mind. Our in-house experts will provide you with advice where needed. This enables you to include the feedback of the LIBC in your research protocol, so it is fully thought through, before you submit it to the ethical committee. 

Please also propose a 6-letter code to be used as a trial code for your research project in our patient registration system HIX.

Inform your own department

Please contact the stakeholder of your department and inform them that you are planning on starting up an MRI research project too. It is important they are informed, since for example scanning time is arranged through the stakeholders. 

The contacts of the stakeholders are:

Gorter Centre: Thijs van Osch

Psychiatry: Max de Leeuw

Radiology: Jeroen van der Grond

Faculty of Social Sciences: LIBC support* 

*The action steps differ for each section within the Faculty of Social Sciences. Please follow the instructions on this page. 

Scientific Review Comittee

Your research protocol needs to be presented to the scientific review committee of your department. 

Psychology: the research protocol needs to be submitted to the Research Committee.

Education and Child studies: the research protocol needs to be submitted to the Ethics Review Board. 

Radiology: the research protocol needs to be submitted through Research Manager. To do so, you need a Research Manager account. You can request an account on the log in screen and then clicking on ‘Request account’. You will then receive an e-mail containing a link to activate the account. Please keep in mind that these e-mails are send manually, so when you will receive the e-mail with the activation link depens on the availability of the secretary. If you already have a Research Manager account (LUMC-radiology), of course you can use that account to submit the application. 

Other departments: please contact your PI and ask how research protocol need to be presented to the scientific review committee of your department.

Of which committee (CEP/METC) you need ethical approval, depends on the nature of your research. Find out which committee you need to request ethical approval and submit your request to either:

• The CEP by following the instructions on this website. 

• The LUMC Medische Ethische Commissie by sending an e-mail to metc@lumc.nl.

Did you receive approval? Congrulations! Please send the approval letter to supportlibc@lumc.nl as soon as possible. We can then request a trial code for you and create the participant codes in HIX. 

Only the main researcher can already start his/her training in order to become a license holder. All other future license holders and scanbuddies will have to wait till step 7.  

Every project is allowed to train 1 license holder and 2 scanbuddies. If you think this is too little considering the nature of your research, please contact us through supportlibc@lumc.nl. 

The first step in your training, is to find an ongoing research project which you can join and whose license holders are willing to train you to become a license holder yourself. Please ask around in your department to find a training spot. 

Everyone who wants to enter the scanning room has to (1) have an LUMC badge, (2) have attended the LIBC safety training and (3) be accompanied. There always have to be 2 people present when entering the scanner room, either two license holders or one license holder and a scanbuddy. At least one of the two has to be fluent in Dutch.  

1. Wearing an LUMC badge is obliged in the LUMC. It is part of the safety policy of the LUMC and it is linked to a liability insurance, which is mandatory working near the LIBC scanner. 

As a license holder you will need a 0-hour contract. If you send a recent copy of your CV and your personal e-mail address (no LUMC/UL) to supportlibc@lumc.nl, we will request the contract for you. Please keep in mind that a 0-hour contract takes about 4-6 weeks to arrange, so make sure you contact us in time. 

2.  Sign up to take part in the LIBC safety training via inschrijfformulier veiligheidstraining. When starting the training, we will ask you to show your LUMC badge. No badge, no participation. 

After taking part in the safety training, you can start your training to become a license holder. You will start by helping out as a scanbuddy in an ongoing MRI project. The license holder(s) of that project will train and teach you what you need to know as a future license holder.

Once the license holder who is training you feels you are ready, you can ask to schedule a license holder exam by sending an e-mail to supportlibc@lumc.nl. 

The next step is to create an exam card. Our laboratory technicians are there to assist you. You can schedule a meeting with them by sending an e-mail to supportlibc@lumc.nl.  

Please make sure you back up your MRI examcard yourself. 

All license holders are granted access to the scanning calendar once they have obtained their license. Once you have added the scanning calendar to your LUMC e-mail, you can request scanning time and schedule appointments with participants. 

Please see this page for instructions on how to request scanning time.

Once the main license holder has taken their license holder exam and all approvals are in, it is time to start training scanbuddies. 

Every project is allowed to train 1 license holder and 2 scanbuddies. If you think this is too little considering the nature of your research, please contact us through supportlibc@lumc.nl. 

All scanbuddies can sign up to take part in the safety training using this sign-up sheet. Usually there is 1 safety training every 2 weeks. Future scanbuddies will need to complete the e-learning and to request a LUMC PNIL (guest) contract. This is mandatory, since everyone workimg in the LUMC needs an LUMC badge according to the safety policy of the LUMC and a badge is linked to liability insurance. 

Please make sure all scanbuddies file the PNIL contract request at least 2 weeks before their safety training, as the contract takes about that time to arrange. 

We recommend all scanbuddies limit the time between the safety training and their first scanning session as much as possible. As we highly value MRI safety, we want to make sure that the new knowledge is still fresh in their minds. 

Now you are ready to start! We wish you all the best in collecting your data. If you run into problems, you know where to find us: supportlibc@lumc.nl.