Research Support aims to create an environment in which AMC researchers can excel, both by contributing to a stimulating context and by providing practical support.
Strategic research planning, internal budgeting, research facilities, Tenure Tracks and the development of policies on scientific integrity are important topics. Moreover, Research Support provides hands-on support to researchers from the development of the early ideas to implementation of the outcomes.
An anthology of entities the Research Support consists of:
Research Office
plays a key role in the preparation and implementation of AMC's research policies and facilitates scientific debate. There are internal support groups for grant applications. Senior researchers are coupled to less experienced researchers or researchers with a related specialty to enhance the scientific and technical quality of their grant proposals and hence the fundability. Research funding from the European Union is becoming increasingly important.
Medical Library
supports systematic use of scientific information by offering more then 7000 e journals, databases and other sources as well as supporting services like information retrieval support to all researchers, staff members and students. The Medical Library also registers the scientific output of the AMC en processes several derivative services.
AMC Clinical Research Unit (CRU)
was established in 2006 and supports the clinical research in the AMC. The CRU aims to improve the quality of clinical research and ultimately patient care. The CRU operates according to the Guidelines for Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and in compliance with current regulatory requirements.
Services cover:
- Methodological and statistical support to improve the design, conduct, analysis, interpretation, and reporting of clinical research;
- Methodological support to grant proposals within clinical research;
- Quality Control (monitoring) according to national and international regulatory requirements;
- Datamanagement, including randomization applications, web questionnaires and electronic Case Report Forms (eCRFs) development. CRU supports OpenClinica. This open source software allows researchers to build their own eCRF.
AMC Medical Research
supports the administration, management and contracting of research projects that are funded by third parties, thus safeguarding their continuity and independence. By overseeing financiers, project leaders and research staff, it ensures that such work remains transparent, effective and legitimate.
Innovation Exchange Amsterdam (IXA)
plays an essential role in the commercialization of AMC research, by facilitating patenting, partnering, due diligence and control in relation to all management aspects of research findings, technology transfer and the foundation of spin-off companies. It also represents the main link between AMC inventors and entrepreneurs or industry representatives who are interested in bringing their technologies to market.
* The Technology Transfer Offices of the two academic medical centers (VUmc, AMC) and universities (VU, UvA/HvA) in Amsterdam have recently allied their forces. One of the new aims of this “pan-Amsterdam” TTO, besides the more classical TTO work of licensing and spin-off formation, is to provide dedicated support to large multi-disciplinary initiatives, such as the Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, thus facilitating their interaction with industry.
Legal Research Support (LRS)
was established as per January 1st 2014. LRS supports the contracting and administration of AMC research projects, more specifically in relation to Clinical Trials, Intellectual Property and EU projects. LRS aims to facilitate AMC research by drafting clear contractual arrangements and assessment of such arrangements in line with applicable laws, regulations and policies. Examples of agreement types include Confidentiality Agreements, Clinical Trial Agreements (Sponsored or Investigator Initiated), Research Collaboration Agreements, Material Transfer Agreements, EU Consortium Agreements, Licensing Agreements, Consultancy Agreements and (Laboratory) Services Agreements.