Research Data Management (RDM)
Research Data Management (RDM) refers to the handling of research data (collection, organisation, storage, and documentation) during and after a research activity.
Good RDM practices ensure that researchers can share their data in accordance with the FAIR principles with the aim of preserving data in a long-term, persistent, discoverable, accessible, verifiable and interoperable manner.
Many research organisations, most notably the European Commission, require their researchers to develop a data management plan (DMP) to ensure that all aspects are considered from the start of an activity on.
Creating a DMP before you start your research project will help you address all important RDM issues and give you a documentation that will help you and your team keeping track of everything related to your data.
A DMP is a document that outlines the policies and procedures for managing and sharing research data throughout the entire research lifecycle. It serves as a blueprint for how data will be collected, processed, stored, and shared, and it helps to ensure compliance with institutional and funding agency policies, as well as legal and ethical requirements.
A DMP typically includes information on the following:
- Data collection and processing
- Data storage and backup
- Data sharing and dissemination
- Data security and privacy
- Responsibilities and Resources.
To learn more about a DMP and to find resources and support, please read the FAQs: https://www.bihealth.org/en/quest/service/service/data-management-plans-dmp
In addition, we have developed a template for a DMP [LINK] that includes pre-filled sections and is tailored to the Charité's processes.
Sharing sensitive health-related data is a complex topic and it is strongly recommended that you seek expert advice. For example, you will need the informed consent of participants to share their personal data. Together with the NCRC office, we have developed text modules covering different data sharing scenarios that you can use in your informed consent forms.
For further guidance, please fill in the contact form here. Once you completed the required information, a member of the RDM team will get back to you. Please note that you also need to contact the NCRC office or the Clinical Trial Office (CTO) if you plan to share personal research information.
Making your research data available to other scientists in your field will become more frequent. To help you prepare, we have developed a course on "Data Sharing in Clinical Research".
The course is split into two parts. The first part is a self-paced learning on the moodle platform with short videos, texts, and quizzes. The second part is a hands-on workshop where you will have the opportunity to practice key skills and techniques and ask questions about your own project and data sharing plans.
The aim of this course is to provide you with a solid understanding of the principles and practices of data sharing in clinical research, and to help you take the necessary steps to effectively share and publish your research data.
The first part of the course can be found here: https://courses.bihealth.org/
Please check the QUEST Center’s course website to find out, whether workshops are scheduled.
Sharing sensitive health-related data is a complex topic and it is strongly recommended that you seek expert advice. For regulatory affairs in clinical trials or research projects, please contact the NCRC office or the Clinical Trials Office of the Charité.
For further advice on data management and sharing, please contact the BIH Open Data and Research Data Management project team.
Please contact the team by email: forschungsdatenmanagement@bih-charite.de or in case you want to discuss data sharing plans, fill out the contact form [Link]. Once you completed the required information, a member of the RDM team will get back to you.
They advise Charité researchers on data-related issues, from data collection and storage to archiving and sharing. They provide feedback on data management plans and RDM sections in grant applications. Together with the NCRC office, they have collected and developed text modules on data sharing that can be used in informed consent forms.