:: 3T MRI Access Guidelines ::

The Brain Research Institute (BRI) encourages use of the 3 tesla MRI facilities by outside parties. We offer the use of our facilities at very competitive rates: see our fee schedule. Our expert Scientific Advisory Board also offers, at no charge and without obligation, an optional review of proposed scientific projects.

There are also possibilities for full scientific collaboration with BRI scientists. If you would like to enter into a collaboration requiring academic input from one or more scientists at BRI, please address enquiries to either

Professor Graeme Jackson, Head - Clinical Research
or
Professor Alan Connelly, Head - MRI Development

Project Application

Projects may be initiated by written application using a pro-forma Microsoft Word application document that can be found on the BRI internet site:

Project application form download (updated 29th August 2007)

We offer, as a free option without obligation, a review of your project proposal by our expert Scientific Advisory Board; please answer yes to the relevant question on the application form if you would like to take advantage of this offer.

The application must be submitted electronically, preferably as an e-mail attachment (the document must be readable by Microsoft Word) to proposals@brain.org.au . If you are unable to submit by e-mail, a disk containing the document can be mailed to the institute. By submitting a proposal you are confirming your agreement to the terms outlined in this Guidelines for Studies document.

Scientific Advisory Board

The BRI Scientific Advisory Board is a panel of experts particularly focused on ensuring the MRI techniques to be used are suitable for answering the scientific questions posed, thus ensuring the feasibility of the study.

General conditions

Any project (including internal projects) may only proceed after the following five items have all been satisfied:

1. Written approval obtained from the Chairman of the BRI Scientific Advisory Board or authorised delegate, or the Director of the BRI.

2. Approval obtained from an Ethics Committee recognised by the NH&MRC; copies of the submission to the ethics committee and their letter of approval must be supplied to BRI.
This is required for all studies involving humans or animals.  Approval must be obtained specifically for the Brain Research Institute 3 tesla facility. You may also wish to use the following example information and consent forms as the basis for you own:

Adobe Acrobat format (.pdf):
  Example information sheet (updated 21 Jan 2004)
  Example study informed consent form (updated 21 Jan 2004)
  MR informed consent form (updated 21 Jan 2004)

Microsoft Word format (.doc):
  Example information sheet (updated 21 Jan 2004)
  Example study informed consent form (updated 21 Jan 2004)
  MR informed consent form  (updated 21 Jan 2004)

IMPORTANT NOTE: The consent forms above indicate a recommended procedure to be followed should something abnormal be found in a subject's scans. This procedure has been developed in consultation with ethics committees and clinicians. It is the sole responsibility of the Chief Investigator of the study to ensure that this or any other procedure documented in their ethics submission is followed. (The BRI offers a free service to assist with this procedure. This must be  requested by the investigator and confirmed by BRI in writing; BRI does not automatically assume this responsibility. The service consists of an examination of the subjects' available anatomical  scans by a qualified imaging specialist, however please note that the scans acquired are not designed for clinical or diagnostic purposes. While subsequent management is the responsibility of the Chief Investigator, further involvement of BRI specialists may be possible by prior agreement in writing). Please also note that the BRI operates as a filmless department, and does not provide acetate film copies of MR images; electronic or paper-printed  images can be provided upon request.

3. Signed agreement obtained between the scientist’s institution and the Brain Research Institute. For insurance and liability reasons, the agreement must be signed by a person authorised to act on behalf of the scientist’s institution. Key points of the agreement include:

· Legal responsibility must be taken by the scientist’s institution for subjects whilst on BRI premises
· The project is subject to the BRI’s policy on confidentiality & intellectual property 
· All publications that include data acquired on the BRI 3T facilities must include text to the effect that MRI scans were acquired at the 'Brain Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia' (this text should appear in the methods section and/or the acknowledgements section of the publication).

4. Payment must be in advance for the costs of the MR scan time.

5. The Chief Investigator of the study acknowledges and agrees that any investigators wishing to enter the MRI control room or scanner room must first complete an induction program provided by BRI's radiographer.

Any study that does not fulfil all of these criteria can only proceed if written approval is obtained from the director of the Brain Research Institute.

To facilitate compliance with BRI's reporting requirements to funding bodies that have contributed to the capital costs of the facility, a list of all published papers and/or meeting abstracts resulting from data collected at BRI is required for each approved project. This information is also usually required by the ethics committee that approved the project, so copies of the annual report you prepare for the ethics committee will usually suffice.

Authorised by Dr David Abbott, Chairman - Scientific Advisory Board, 29th August 2007

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