Work With Us

All investigators (who are not a grant-supported investigator at a MWCCS clinical research site) should have a study liaison. A study liaison is responsible for: 

• ensuring the investigator is aware of any data/specimen limitations 
• making sure that persons with appropriate scientific expertise have provided input 
• confirming the investigator is adherent to the MWCCS Concept Sheet and Publication Policy 

Please contact the DACC (mwccs@jhu.edu) if you need a study liaison assigned to your project. 

Your MWCCS site PI or assigned MWCCS study liaison should review and approve your CS prior to submission for CS review. The typical review period for a CS is 10 business days. 

Option 1: I am planning a multi-site investigation that does not require additional data collection (i.e., I seek to analyze existing data). 

Step 1: Submit a MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study Concept Sheet Submission Form 

EXAMPLE of the Concept Sheet Submission Form

• This online form collects administrative information about your proposed project. 
• You will also be prompted to upload a Research Plan outlining your proposed science. 

Step 2: DACC staff will review the CS for completeness, assign a README# (tracking number), and assign the appropriate reviewers. In this case: 

• Appropriate Working Groups (WGs) (based on study topic areas) 

Step 3: Concept Sheet Approval/Revision Requested 

• If the assigned WG(s) approve your CS, you will receive an official approval letter via email with a link to your unique Investigator View in DACCTrack. 
• If the assigned WG(s) request a revision, you will receive a revision request letter via email with a link to your unique Investigator View in DACCTrack (includes a link to submit a Revised CS). 

Step 4: Co-author Assignment 

• DACC staff will solicit co-authors for your approved CS. You will receive an email from DACC when your co-author list is complete. 
• You may access your co-author list and your assigned co-author’s email addresses in your unique Investigator View in DACCTrack.
• Assigned co-authors should be listed on all abstracts and manuscripts that are submitted as part of the aims outlined in the approved CS. 

Option 2: I am planning a multi-site investigation that proposes new data collection, new specimen collection, or specimens to be requested from the central repository; and/or I want to nest a grant or sub-study within MWCCS.

Step 1: Coordinate directly with each clinical research site about feasibility and budget. You should receive confirmation of participation from each clinical research site you plan to include in your project BEFORE you submit a concept sheet. If you need DACC support for your concept sheet, please review Guideline for Grant Research Nested in the MWCCS Needing Additional DACC Support.

Step 2: Submit a MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study Concept Sheet Submission Form 

• This online form collects administrative information about your proposed project. 
• You will also be prompted to upload a Research Plan outlining your proposed science. 

Step 3: DACC staff will review the CS for completeness, assign a README# (tracking number), and assign the appropriate reviewers. In this case: 

• Appropriate Working Groups (WGs) (based on study topic areas) 
• Project Director Reviewer (PDR) if proposing new data collection or new specimen collection. 
• Lab Working Group Chair Reviewers if proposing new specimen collection. 
• National Community Advisory Board Reviewer (NCAB) if proposing new data collection or new specimen collection. 
• Lab Reviewer (LR) if requesting new specimen collection or requesting to withdraw specimens from the central repository. 

Step 4: Concept Sheet Approval/Revision Requested 

• If the WG(s), PDR, and LR approve your CS you will receive an official approval letter via email with a link to your unique Investigator View in DACCTrack. 
• If you are proposing new data collection or new specimen collection, the CS will receive Provisional Approval. Your CS will require full EC discussion and approval during the annual MWCCS protocol review/visit changes process. 
• If the WG(s), PDR, or LR request a revision, you will receive a revision request letter via email with a link to your unique Investigator View in DACCTrack (includes a link to submit a Revised CS). 

Step 5: Co-author Assignment 

• DACC staff will solicit co-authors for your approved CS. You will receive an email from DACC when your co-author list is complete. 
• You may access your co-author list in your unique Investigator View in DACCTrack. 
• Assigned co-authors should be listed on all abstracts and manuscripts that are submitted as part of the aims outlined in the approved CS. 

Option 3: I am planning a single site investigation that proposes to utilize and/or collect data/specimens from one or two MWCCS sites only, and/or plans to withdraw specimens from any MWCCS central repository. 

Step 1: Submit a MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study Concept Sheet Submission Form 

• This online form collects administrative information about your proposed project. 
• You will also be prompted to upload a Research Plan outlining your proposed science. 

Step 2: DACC staff will review the CS for completeness, assign a README# (tracking number), and assign the appropriate reviewers. In this case: 

• PI from the specific MWCCS site indicated in your CS submission. 
• Working Group Chairs from 1 relevant Working Group based on your CS submission. 
• Project Director (PD) from the specific MWCCS site indicated in your CS submission (if additional data or specimens will be collected). 
• Lab Reviewer (LR) if you propose the withdrawal of specimens from any of the MWCCS central repositories. 

Step 3: Concept Sheet Approval/Revision Requested 

• If the PI and WG chairs (and PD and/or LR when applicable) approve your CS, you will receive an official approval letter via email with a link to your unique Investigator View in DACCTrack. 
• If the PI and WG chairs (or PD and/or LR when applicable) request a revision, you will receive a revision request letter via email with a link to your unique Investigator View in DACCTrack (includes a link to submit a Revised CS). 

Reviewers may request a CS revision if there are issues with the availability of data/specimens/types of participants that would prevent the research from taking place, important design issues or flaws, and/or overlap with approved research. Revisions to a CS must be made prior to approval. 

Step 1: Go to your unique Investigator View in DACCTrack. If you do not have the link to your unique Investigator View, please click here to submit a request to look up your  Investigator View link. 

Step 2: Once you are in your Investigator View, you will see a Review Status called *Revision Requested on the left-hand side. Listed below this status are any README#s that require revision. Find the README# that requires a revision, and then scroll to the right to find the Revision/Addendum Submission Link. 

Step 3: Click on the Revision/Addendum Submission Link. You are now looking at a pre-populated form for this specific CS. Complete the form, upload the Research Plan with the revised information highlighted in yellow or indicated by track changes in Microsoft Word, and upload a point-by-point response to any comments or questions posed by reviewers.   

Step 4: Complete the form and click submit. 

Step 5: Your revised CS will be assigned to the original reviewers who requested the revision. The reviewers have seven business days to review the revised CS and render a decision to approve or request another revision if their questions were not adequately addressed. 

Investigators may submit an addendum to a previously approved CS if they are requesting additional resources (e.g., data or specimens). The CS will retain the same README number assigned to the initial project. 

Some addendums will need to be submitted as a new, initial CS and will receive a new README#. If any of the following conditions are met, the addendum will need to be submitted as a new, initial CS: 

• proposes the addition of aims 
• proposes the addition of substantially different data elements (for collection and/or analysis) that will result in publication of an additional manuscript 
• will significantly expand the scope of the CS 

Step 1: Go to your unique Investigator View in DACCTrack. If you do not have the link to your unique Investigator View, please click here to submit a request to look up your Investigator View link. 

Step 2: Once you are in your Investigator View, you will see a Review Status called *Approved on the left-hand side. Listed below this status are all of your approved projects. Find the README# that you would like to amend, and then scroll to the right to find the Revision/Addendum Submission Link. 

Step 3: Click on the Revision/Addendum Submission Link. You are now looking at a pre-populated form for this specific CS. Proceed to complete the form and upload the Research Plan with the edited information highlighted in yellow or by using track changes in Microsoft Word. 

Step 4: Complete the form and hit submit. 

Step 5: Your CS addendum will be assigned to the appropriate reviewers. The reviewers have 10 business days to review the CS addendum and render a decision to approve or request a revision. 

I am requesting data, specimens*, or an analytic dataset be prepared by DACC.

All investigators affiliated with MWCCS clinical research sites are covered under a master Data Use Agreement (DUA) and Material Transfer Agreement (MTA). This includes investigators affiliated with MWCCS sites that are using a fee-for-service agreement. No additional steps are needed for these investigators prior to requesting data and/or specimens. Other grant co- investigators who are affiliated with but not at MWCCS clinical research sites are covered under the master DUA (but require a separate MTA to obtain samples).

Please note external investigators must execute a 3rd Party data use agreement (DUA) prior to requesting data from the DACC.  External investigators must also execute a 3^rd party material transfer agreement (MTA) prior to requesting specimens from the DACC. Once your concept sheet has been approved, you will be contacted by the DACC to execute the DUA and/or MTA. You will only be asked to complete a DUA and/or MTA if you indicate that you will be requesting data and/or specimens in your concept sheet so please ensure that your submission accurately reflects the resources you will be requesting. For questions regarding DUAs and MTAs, please contact MWCCS@jhu.edu.  

To submit a resource request, please follow the steps below:

Step 1: Go to your unique Investigator View in DACCTrack. If you do not have the link to your unique Investigator View, please click here to submit a request to look up your  Investigator View link. 

Step 2: Once you are in your Investigator View, you will see a Review Status called *Approved on the left-hand side. Listed below this status are all of your approved projects. Find the README# that you want to request data/specimens/analytic dataset for, and then scroll to the right to the DACC Resource Request Form link. 

Step 3: Click on the DACC Resource Request Form.

EXAMPLE of the Resource Request Form

Step 4: Complete the form and hit submit. You will receive an automated email confirming that your submission was received. DACC will place your request in a queue in order of date received. A programmer will be assigned and reach out to you via email once your project is ready to move forward. 

*Not all specimen types may be available at every visit. 

Please be sure to allow adequate time for processing and review of abstracts and manuscripts. Abstracts must be submitted 3 business days prior to the conference deadline and manuscripts must allow at least 6 business days for processing and EC review prior to journal submission.

Step 1: Work with your co-authors to write the manuscript or abstract. We encourage inclusion of assigned co-authors early in the process (before the final draft of the manuscript is ready). 

Step 2: Approval from all assigned co-authors is required  prior  to manuscript or abstract submission to the MWCCS EC for review and approval.

Step 3: Go to your unique Investigator View in DACCTrack. If you do not have the link to your unique Investigator View, please  click here  to submit a request to look up your Investigator View link. 

Step 4:  Once you are in your Investigator View, you will see a Review Status called *Approved  on the left-hand side. Listed below this status are all of your approved projects. Find the README# that you want to submit an associated manuscript/abstract for and then scroll to the right to the MS/Abstract Submission Form  link 

Step 5: Click on MWCCS Manuscript, Abstract Submission Form 

Step 6: Fill out the MWCCS Manuscript & Abstract submission form and upload your manuscript or abstract to this form. 

Step 7: Your manuscript or abstract will be received by DACC staff. DACC staff will review the submission form for completeness and will confirm that the assigned MWCCS co-authors have been included. You will receive an automated email when the manuscript or abstract has been circulated to the EC for review and approval. 

Step 8: DACC will collate and communicate all EC feedback to the investigator. If there is no EC feedback, you will receive an email on the day EC review ends alerting you to move forward with journal or conference submission.

Investigators are required to submit all published manuscripts to the NIHMS system for assignment of a PMCID number. Failure to submit may result in future restrictions on the use of MWCCS data/specimens. Some journals will submit to the NIHMS system on your behalf (see list here). 

After completion of the analyses defined in the MWCCS CS (i.e., dissemination of study findings in the form of a manuscript submitted to a peer-reviewed scientific journal): 

• Investigator must destroy all copies of the limited dataset within 60 days. 
• Investigator must send a copy of all primary data to DACC at MWCCS@jhu.edu
• If specimen testing, all laboratory results must be sent to MWCCS for archival purposes to MWCCS@jhu.edu 

Once your manuscript has been published and the PMCID number has been assigned, please email the DACC directly at MWCCS@jhu.edu to notify us of publication. Final versions of published manuscripts should be also be reported to the DACC in your annual Productivity Update. This allows DACC to track MWCCS publications and add all new publications to the  MWCCS Publications List. 

The Reading Center/ Data Repository Data Submission Form should be completed for any sub-study or supplement where MWCCS participant data is not coming directly to the DACC, but is instead collected elsewhere then shared with the DACC.

Step 1: Work with all relevant study and reading center/data repository staff to complete your Data Plan, which outlines the study and overall data submission process.

Step 2: Click here to submit your Data Submission Form, which includes upload of your final data plan and completion of administrative questions.

EXAMPLE of the Data Submission Form

Step 3: Your Data Submission Form will be received by DACC staff. DACC staff will review the submission form for completeness and will confirm that your submission is complete or if any edits are needed for final approval via email.

• Concept Sheet Submission Form 
• Investigator View Look-Up Form: request link to your unique Investigator View 
• Directory Form: utilize this form to add a new individual to the MWCCS directory or to update an existing MWCCS directory profile.

The MACS or WIHS Public Use Data Sets (PDS) are available to investigators. Click here to submit a request form to gain access to the PDS. MWCCS PDS will be available in 2024.