Core facilities exist to provide users expertise, services, and instrumentation to lower the barriers to transformative research. In particular, the personnel in the SCGF have extensive expertise in flow cytometry and single cell genomics and strive to demystify these processes for users. Moreover, as a core, our goal is to work with users to design the best possible experiments to answer their research questions. Ultimately, the core is run by scientists to help other scientists and, as a result, it is important to recognize our contributions to successful projects. Recognition is also critical for core facilities to demonstrate their impact to the university so that they can continue to exist and provide services to users.
We have established the following guidelines to help our users navigate the process of formal recognition of the core:
1. Formal mention in the Acknowledgements: Usage of the core for routine services should be mentioned in the Acknowledgements section in publications. Tracking acknowledgements is an important metric for all core facilities. These metrics are used to assess the value of a core, enable the core to obtain funding and university support, and continue to provide services. These metrics also help core facility staff to advance their own careers, which in turn contributes to the continued success of the core.
2. Formal Co-Authorship: In rare instances when personnel from the lab has made a substantial intellectual contribution to a publication, they may merit authorship. This guideline does not apply to routine core services. If you are unsure about whether authorship is merited, please contact the core.
How do you acknowledge the core?
Each Core Facility has a unique Research Resource Identification (RRID) number used to tag and track the core’s mentions in publications. These RRID tags make it easier to cite a facility and then to search publications associated with the core.
The SCGF RRID to be included in Acknowledgements is RRID:SCR_026652.
Acknowledgement example:
Cell sorting was performed at the Single Cell Genomics Facility at Northwestern University (RRID:SCR_026652), graciously supported by the Department of Neurobiology, the Department of Molecular Biosciences, and the NU Office for Research.