FIMM Genomics Terms and Conditions

1.  Responsibilities of the Research Group

Research Group assumes all responsibility for patient contacts, phenotyping of patients, collection and extraction of samples and and quality of DNA/RNA. 

Research Group will provide FIMM Genomics core with DNA/RNA samples to be processed, a file with anonymous sample identifiers, pedigree information (where applicable), and general sample information, such as concentrations.

General patient information or affection status information is supplied only if needed for statistical analysis. No information that can be used to identify the sample donors should be supplied.

2.  Responsibilities of FIMM Genomics core

FIMM Genomics core has established a laboratory suitable for medium to high throughput NGS analysis, and an IT infrastructure for handling of sample data. FIMM Genomics core will perform NGS library preparations, library enrichments/other necessary library manipulations and subsequent massively parallel sequencing using workflows established at the FIMM Genomics core. 

Sequencing will be performed on a sequencing instrument on premises unless indicated otherwise. Customer will be consulted if samples are sent to be sequenced to any other service provider. This might happen in case of long delays because of equipment break downs.

FIMM Genomics Core will perform the primary analysis of the data from each sample for which library preparation is performed at FIMM. This will be done using in-house built pipelines and/or commercial pipelines, as specified in the service product.

3. The form of collaboration and publication policy

Projects are handled as service projects. Accordingly, the FIMM Genomics core will be acknowledged in any publication(s) containing data generated by FIMM Genomics as follows

"Sequencing was performed by FIMM Genomics NGS Sequencing unit at University of Helsinki supported by HiLIFE and Biocenter Finland." 

FIMM Genomics core should be informed of any future publications where the work performed at FIMM Genomics has had a contribution.

If the project is a collaboration project, the following collaboration criteria must be met: 

• FIMM Genomics staff (member) provides intellectual input to the project
• The collaboration must be mutually beneficial: user obtains services that go beyond the routine workflows offered by FIMM Genomics. In turn FIMM Genomics gets opportunities for method development. This is an essential part of LSRI lab operations and provides measurable outputs (e.g. publications) for the personnel.
• Collaborations often result in joint publications. Authorship rules should be followed, and “substantive intellectual contribution” used as authorship criteria.

4.  Sharing of costs

Research group shall cover the costs of the project according to the FIMM Genomics core price list valid at the time of the project. In case of additional work, price and other conditions are covered by new agreement via iLab messaging.

5. Public information and confidentiality

The project name and the name and address of the principal investigator may be published at the University of Helsinki/FIMM web site and may be mentioned at public talks by FIMM Genomics personnel. All other information concerning the project will be kept confidential. Any contact regarding the project or questions about the details of the project will be directed to the Principal Investigator. 

The results and sample information shall be stored at the FIMM Genomics database for two (2) months after the completion of the project marked by the data release message via iLab. After this period the data is deleted. Only the contact person specified in the order form for the iLab will receive the information about the transfer of the data. 

6. Data ownership, usage and protection of study subjects

The data generated by FIMM Genomics core is owned by the data producer (FIMM Genomics core) until released to the customer. Any University of Helsinki PI:s should have an agreement with their researchers on the data ownership, meaning that any data released to an individual researcher is the property of the PI and thus by extension property of the University of Helsinki. If the researcher has a personal grant that has been used to cover the costs of the service in its entirety, the data is the property of the individual researcher.

No individual result data directly linked to the study subjects may be given to any third party, including subjects participating in the project, unless approved by the Ethical Review board permit. The data may not be used for diagnostic purposes. Sequencing analysis at FIMM Genomics core is intended for research use only. While FIMM Genomics core believes that the result data are of high standard quality, any interpretations based on these results are the responsibility of the research group and no warranty of the results is given by FIMM Genomics core. 

The Research Group represents and warrants that the study has been approved by the appropriate Ethical Review board(s) and the investigators approve to the best of their knowledge that the study has been executed according to rules, regulations and best practices applicable to such biomedical research. This project follows European GDPR regulations.