Collaboration FAQs

Q: How much will my project cost?
A.The cost of collaboration varies widely depending on the complexity, the amount of instrument time and costs of reagents required, and the needs for research and methods development.  Costs can range from $ $2,500 to $100,000 (or more) depending on these factors.

Q: What happens if I do not have funding for the project?
A: We will work with you to try to identify possible funding sources. We will help you write the scientific section in your grant proposal and help develop the budget. 

Q: How are costs determined?
A: To enable more effective financial planning, we operate as specialized service facility (SSF) that makes the recovery of our costs fair and equitable, allows investment for future process improvements to enable price reductions and provides more transparency to the Broad community. The SSF designation allows costs to be separately allocated for the purpose of determining a total charge for a specific activity. The total charge is a price per unit based on the accumulated direct costs for each SSF activity (personnel, materials, equipment maintenance, other charges, and depreciation of equipment) as well as the indirect costs in support of the activities which results in a specific rate determined by the allocation of departmental administration, central administration, and facilities operations including rent, utilities and maintenance attributed to the SSF.

Q: Is the Proteomic Platform a core facility or a fee for service facility?
A: No. We work collaboratively with scientists both at the Broad and the greater Broad community to utilize tools to address cutting edge questions that are often not available to many laboratories. We work under a collaborative model where we have scientific input in the design, execution, and analysis of a project.

Q: What about publications?
A: Clarity on our mutual expectations for how data will be published is essential. Proteomics scientists frequently provide significant intellectual contributions to the work and must be appropriately credited. 

Q: I have an active IRB (Internal Review Board) application at my home institution. Does my IRB have to be approved at the Broad?
A: Yes. This is required of all human samples that will be undergoing genetic analysis at the Broad. The Proteomics manager here at the Broad will work with you to complete the proper forms needed to obtain approval from the Broad’s IRB. Please note that we must have IRB approval of your project before your samples can be analyzed.

Q: What happens if I have and active IRB application at the Broad?
A: The IRB approval must include proteomic testing in the protocol before testing can begin. To insure the IRB approval covers proteomics testing we will work with you to complete the proper forms needed to add your project to our comprehensive exempt protocol or amend your protocol to include proteomics testing..

Q: Why does your quote include an overage? Do I have to pay it?
A: Funds to cover 100 plus% of the project are requested in the quote so that if there are any sample- or process-related failures during the run, or the scope changes slightly the project will not be significantly delayed by the time required to request and issue a new PO. In all cases, you will only be charged for the work that is actually completed.

Q: What is your policy on sample re-runs?
A: If we made a processing error that results in the failure of an assay then we will re-run the sample at no additional cost. If a sample needs to be reanalyzed for other reasons (e.g. poor sample quality) then the cost of the reanalysis is the investigator’s responsibility.

Q: Are discounts available for Broad affiliates?
A: Unfortunately, we cannot offer discounts to anyone, regardless of their affiliation. The rules governing the Broad platforms' Specialized Service Facilities (SSF) require that every project is charged the published rate. SSF prices are set at a rate that covers the labor, materials, and indirect costs of the particular assay, with no profit margin.