✔ RSpace integrates with Dataverse, Figshare and Dryad, enabling direct deposit of datasets from RSpace to these repositories. Zenodo is coming soon!
✔ We have completed a new integration between RSpace and DMPTool, a service of the California Digital Library, offering a DMPTool → RSpace → Dataverse / Figshare / Dryad workflow, enabling full compliance with the NIH Policy:
✔ Julie Goldman from the Countway Library at Harvard Medical School describes how the DMPTool–RSpace–Dataverse workflow is being used to support researchers and to enable compliance at HMS:
✔ The DMPTool–RSpace–Figshare workflow is demonstrated in the following video:
✔ The DMPTool–RSpace–Dryad workflow is demonstrated in the following video:
✔ RSpace can take the unique identifier of the data bundle generated by your target repository and automatically return that identifier to a specified Data Management Plan held in DMPTool, for enhanced traceability of data from initial plan to repository.
✔ Users can pull related data files held in external SMB or SFTP filestores directly into RSpace export bundles that are sent to repositories, enhancing the ability to unite experimental notes and records with large datasets stored outside of RSpace.
On the 25th of January 2023, the new NIH policy on data management and sharing will come into effect in the US. This policy requires researchers to share research data in a timely fashion and strongly encourages them to make the data available to established repositories where it may be of further benefit for future research. This policy indicates a massive culture change in grant applications and research practises, with a focus on FAIR principles and open sharing, and is the biggest NIH policy change in over a decade.
“NIH recognizes that its data sharing policy efforts must flexibly evolve to keep pace with scientific and technological opportunities and notes that researchers’ ability to generate, store, share, and combine data has never been greater.” (Source)
However, the NIH also acknowledges that currently, making data available to repositories is not always a straightforward or practical process for researchers.
"The final DMS Policy strongly encourages the use of established repositories to the extent possible. This reflects NIH’s preference that scientific data be shared and preserved through repositories, rather than kept only by the researcher or institution and provided on request, with the recognition that this is not always a practical or even a preferred approach." (Source)
RSpace bridges this gap by enabling researchers to easily export scientific data to repositories. RSpace has unique integrations with three major generalist repositories (Dataverse, Figshare, Dryad) for the sharing of a wide range of data. These powerful integrations enable researchers to share data that they are working on with ease, at any step in the research process, and remove the barriers that limit timely sharing of data.
As per NIH guidance, data should be shared at all steps of the research process, as and when it is possible, and any additional data should be made available at the time of publication. However, the NIH acknowledges that not all research leads to publications, and that’s why it is crucial that researchers take advantage of modern solutions such as the RSpace ELN and Inventory Management platform, which enable researchers to gather, organise, validate, manage, and share their data throughout the research process, in compliance with the highest possible standards as defined by the NIH.
“The final DMS Policy states that shared scientific data should be made accessible as soon as possible, and no later than the time of an associated publication, or the end of the award/support period, whichever comes first. Importantly, the final DMS Policy is designed to increase the sharing of scientific data, regardless of whether a publication is produced.” (Source)
The key tool that researchers will have to incorporate into their existing research process is the Data Management Plan (DMP). Data Management Plans enable researchers to formally define how the scientific data and metadata generated by their research will be handled during the course of the grant: how will the raw data be shared and into what open repositories will it be deposited, what tools will be used for its analysis, and whether there are any points of consideration when it comes to distributing this data openly. You can learn more on NIH's Scientific Data Sharing website.
Under this policy, all NIH grant applications that collect data will be required to submit a data management and sharing plan (DMSP) with their application. Failure to comply with the DMP can result in a review and possible withdrawal of funding.
“Researchers planning to generate scientific data are required to submit a Plan to the funding NIH ICO as part of the Budget Justification section of the application for extramural awards, as part of the technical evaluation for contracts, as determined by the Intramural Research Program for Intramural Research Projects consistent with the objectives of this Policy, or prior to release of funds for other funding agreements.” (Source)
RSpace is able to support researchers through its integration with DMPTool, a platform developed by the California Digital Library, to aid researchers in the creation, management, and use of Data Management Plans. DMPTool enables the creation of DMPs, with the ability to use a range of publicly available and updated templates to make the process easier. The DMP landing page also serves as a public facing space where key information from the Data Management Plan is shared in an easily available format, enhancing reusability.
RSpace enables researchers to import a Data Management Plan from DMPTool, and to associate the Plan with data exported to repositories. As a result, the Plan is automatically updated with a link or DOI to the public project outputs when an export to a repository is generated in RSpace, keeping the research materials and data management plan in sync throughout the research process.
Thanks to RSpace's flexibility and rich ecosystem of integrations that support FAIR data principles, it is perfectly placed to assist institutions with the NIH policy transition.
On the 25th of January 2023, the new NIH policy on data management and sharing will come into effect in the US. Under this policy, all NIH grant applications that collect data will be required to submit a data management and sharing plan (DMSP) with their application.
Data Management Plans contain details on how the scientific data and metadata will be handled during the course of the grant: how will the raw data be shared and into what open repositories will it be deposited, what tools will be used for its analysis, and whether there are any points of consideration when it comes to distributing this data openly. You can learn more on NIH's Scientific Data Sharing website.
This policy indicates a massive culture change in grant applications and research practises, with a focus on FAIR principles and open sharing, and is the biggest NIH policy change in over a decade.
Thanks to RSpace's flexibility and rich ecosystem of integrations that support FAIR data principles, it is perfectly placed to support institutions with this transition.
✔ Harvard Medical School (HMS) are developing trainings for the new HMS DMP template, and are ensuring ongoing compliance updates to their DMPTool templates.
✔ Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) are providing guides for their staff on writing a DMSP and choosing an appropriate repository for data sharing.