Verified Laboratories: The Lab Space
Every dataset uploaded to the ODC is affiliated with a Verified Laboratory - meaning data stored on the ODC is created by individuals associated with a laboratory or research group at a recognized institution. Verified Laboratories and their associated Lab Space are the basic organisational unit into which data gets uploaded and stored on the ODC. The ODC Community Moderators manually review all requests to create a Lab Space to ensure that every laboratory on the ODC represents a Verified Laboratory (see Verification Process).
What's the difference between a Verified Laboratory and a Lab Space? In traditional research terms, think of a Verified Laboratory as your research group's identity (e.g., The Neuron Lab), whereas your Lab Space is akin to the physical lab itself (e.g., the rooms or building belonging to The Neuron Lab).
The Lab Space functions as a protected, virtual home for the lab's data on the ODC. Each Verified Laboratory has its own Lab Space, controlled by a Principal Investigator (PI, head of the laboratory or research group at a recognised institution), who approves membership to their lab, sets member's Lab User Role (authorization), and manages the sharing and publication of their lab's datasets.
Each member of a Verified Laboratory has a Personal Space nested within the Lab Space. Data is uploaded by default into the lab member's Personal Space, where it can then be moved among the Personal, Lab, and Community Spaces. Datasets can be published and made citable through the DOI request process; once reviewed and approved, the PI controls the release of the dataset to the Public Space.
To upload data, a user must belong to a Verified Laboratory (i.e., be a member of one or more Lab Spaces on the ODC). If the data uploader belongs to multiple Lab Spaces, they must choose which one their dataset belongs to; this affiliation cannot be changed after the dataset has been created.
Verification Process
Community Access Users and Full Access Users can request to register a new Lab Space on the ODC. The ODC Community Moderators manually review all requests to verify the following criteria are met:
The user making the request is verified as a PI belonging to a recognised institution
The Laboratory has agreed to operate according to the principles of the ODC
The Laboratory has agreed to abide by their respective Terms & Conditions and Data Usage Agreements
Verification usually takes less than 24h. Once approved, the new Lab Space is created on the ODC and added to the list of labs. The Laboratory PI can then invite users to join the lab and other Community Access Users and Full Access Users can request to join the lab.
Caution: By approving a user to join your lab, you are approving them to access all of the datasets in your Lab Space and all of the datasets in the Community Space. Please make sure you know who the user is before approving them. If you have any concerns, please contact us at info@odc-sci.org.
Lab User Roles
ODC users joining a lab must be approved by the Laboratory PI or their designate (i.e., Laboratory Manager(s)). Requests to join an existing Lab Space send an email notification to the Laboratory PI and their designates prompting them to accept or reject the request. The Laboratory PI (and their designates) have full discretion as to who is admitted to their lab and what role the user has within the lab. Three Lab User Roles exist within each Lab Space, with each representing a different level of authorization.
Laboratory PI
The Laboratory PI is the head of the Lab Space - they have the highest authorization role within the Lab Space. Functions available to the Laboratory PI:
Approve/reject requests to join the Lab Space
Promote users from Laboratory Member to Laboratory Manager or Laboratory PI
Demote/remove Laboratory Managers
Remove Laboratory Members
Upload data
Access data in the Lab Space AND Personal Space of all affiliated Laboratory Users
Move data between: Personal, Lab, Community Spaces
Request a DOI for a dataset (i.e., initiate the publishing process)
Share/release/publish datasets to the Public Space (i.e., complete the publishing process)
Laboratory Manager
The Laboratory Manager is considered a designate of the Laboratory PI - they are the second highest authorization role within the Lab Space. Functions available to the Laboratory Manager:
Approve/reject requests to join the Lab Space
Promote other users from Laboratory Member to Laboratory Manager
Remove Laboratory Members
Upload data
Access data in the Lab Space AND Personal Space of all affiliated Laboratory Users
Move data between: Personal, Lab, Community Spaces
Request a DOI for a dataset (i.e., initiate the publishing process)
The Manager shares many of the same authorizations as the PI, including releasing data to the Community Space and initiating the DOI request process to publish data to the Public Space. Promoting users to this level should be done with care.
Laboratory Member
The Laboratory Member is the default role assigned when a user is approved to join a Lab Space - they have limited authorization to move and view data within the Lab Space. Functions available to the Laboratory Member:
Upload data
Access data in the Lab Space and their own Personal Space
Move data between: Personal, Lab Space
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