Data Sharing
Committed to sharing study data and linked bioresources
At the MRC CTU at UCL, we are committed to making research data and samples available to other researchers wherever possible.
We act as the custodian for much of the data and samples from our studies, however, this is not always the case. To find out who to contact for a data request, please view the page for your study of interest (or study page).
If a study email is not listed, or it is unclear who is custodian, initial inquiries should be sent to mrcctu.datareleaserequest@ucl.ac.uk
Interested in requesting data from us?
The first step is to check the information on the study page to see if it is likely to meet your needs. Check any study documents available including the protocol, CRFs or metadata (where available). If you need further information, contact either the study team via the link on the study page, or, where the team is no longer extant, mrcctu.datareleaserequest@ucl.ac.uk
Look at the application form questions and prepare your answers and any supporting documents. We have a single Data Request Form, covering both data and sample requests.
We have a moderated access approach where applications are reviewed by the study team (and other project-related groups such as the trial steering committee) or a unit-wide Data Access Committee.
Data and linked bioresource requests undergo a review process to ensure the proposal complies with participant confidentiality and regulatory and ethical requirements. Reviewers also assess:
- The scientific merit of the proposal
- The suitability of the study data for answering the proposed research objectives
- Whether the original researchers or previous applicants already have plans to use the data in the way proposed by the applicants i.e. to prevent duplication
- Whether the applicants have sufficient resources to complete their study, including whether they are suitably qualified to perform any analyses and (where applicable) whether their organisation can appropriately store the data
- Whether the proposed use of data might jeopardise the conduct or results from the study (for studies that are ongoing or only recently completed)
- Any resource implications for the MRC CTU at UCL
For studies reviewed by the Data Access Committee, requests are reviewed every two months. Those reviewed by our study teams may have to wait longer, until the next committee meeting. After receiving your request, we will give you an approximate timeline as soon as possible.
Contact us: mrcctu.datareleaserequest@ucl.ac.uk