3T/NCC Application Process

Requesting Magnet Time

Requests for 3T scanner time and any associated NCC support or services should be submitted online for review by the 3T Policy Committee, which meets the first Monday of each month. Please submit applications at least 3 business days before a committee meeting.

Scheduling Magnet Time

A University of Minnesota Internet id (aka x.500) is required to access the NCC on-line database for resource scheduling. Team members can register for a guest x.500 id at: https://www.umn.edu/dirtools/guestportal.

Review Process

New 3T applications will be reviewed by the 3T committee for scientific merit, feasibility and safety. If the 3T Policy Committee does not approve an initial request, the application will be electronically routed back to the PI with feedback from the committee, and the PI will have an opportunity to revise and resubmit.

After an application is approved by the 3T Policy Committee, if there are no additional requests for NCC resources beyond those that automatically accompany access to the facility, the project will be assigned a 3T protocol number and the PI may begin research (once training requirements are satisfied; see http://www.cmrr.umn.edu/safety for training mandates and descriptions).

If the application contains additional requests for NCC resources (explicitly requested by checking a box on the form), the protocol will be approved pending review by the NCC Operations Committee (OpCom). Final resource approval will come from the NCC OpCom.

For protocols requesting NCC resources, the following assessments will be made by the NCC Operations Committee, based on guidelines by the Steering Committee:

• Scientific - Should it be done? Is there added scientific value that will accrue by the NCC activity and support?
• Feasibility - Can it be done? Does the investigator have the necessary skills and capabilities to carry out the proposed support? This might include specialized expertise (e.g. experience with animal model, access to a clinical population, non-MR techniques).
• Magnet Safety - Are there any magnet safety considerations?

Should the project be approved, the NCC OpCom will then determine the quantity and duration of resources that will be provided. There will be a periodic review of all active projects to examine the amount of NCC resources being used.

An objective of the NCC is to provide access to PIs who either are not currently using or want to expand their use of MR technologies and resources. All projects using NCC resources are expected to acknowledge the Neuroscience Core Center Grant, P30 NS057091, in all presentations and publications. For more information about the NCC Grant, see the NCC Outreach page.