Acknowledgement of Scientific Work in Core Facilities

Core facility personnel are the unsung heroes of scientific research. They are scientists who provide crucial support to researchers by offering their expertise in various areas, such as technical help, operational equipment expertise, and scientific advice. When they make a substantial intellectual and/or experimental contribution to a publication, they deserve to be acknowledged.

Proper acknowledgment of core facilities in publications is not just a matter of principal, it is a key metric of their value. It enables them to obtain the financial and other support necessary to continue providing their essential services in the best possible way. It also helps core personnel advance in their careers, adding to the overall health of the core facility.

Core facilities should always be included in the acknowledgment section of publications that feature their contributions. Funding sources for core facilities, such grants, may also require specific acknowledgment.

• AUTHORSHIP

When resource scientists make contributions that enable or significantly enhance the value of a publication, they should be given co-authorship as appropriate acknowledgment. Each author should participate at a level that enables them to take responsibility for the content of the manuscript. Activities that warrant authorship include conception or design of the project, data acquisition, analysis, and/or interpretation beyond routine practices, and critical drafting and/or revision of the manuscript for intellectual content purposes.

In short, acknowledging the contributions of core facility personnel and resource scientists is not just good practice, it is crucial for the advancement of science and the success of research institutions.

• EXAMPLES OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

[Technique/technology] was performed by the [facility name] at the University of Rochester Medical Center, which receives financial support from [sponsor name (grant number)].

We thank The University of Rochester Medical Center's [facility name], especially [staff name], for their assistance with [technique/technology].

(Please find below facility RRID codes and equipment grant information)

• FURTHER READINGS

The Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities (ABRF), Authorship Guidelines: https://abrf.org/authorship-guidelines

International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), Defining the Role of Authors and Contributors: http://www.icmje.org/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/defining-the-role-of- authors-and-contributors.html

Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), Maximizing Shared Research Resources, Oct 2017: http://www.faseb.org/Portals/2/PDFs/opa/2017/Maximizing%20Shared%20Research%20Resou rces%20-%20Part%20I.pdf

National Institutes of Health, Guidelines and Policies for the Conduct of Research in the Intramural Research Program at NIH, 5th Edition, May 2016: https://oir.nih.gov/sites/default/files/uploads/sourcebook/documents/ethical_conduct/guidelines- conduct_research.pdf

• EQUIPMENT GRANTS

• FACILITY RRID CODES