Data Access

From 1 January 2020, the application for SIMPLER is done electronically, at SIMPLER's core page in iLab. Scroll down for more information and iLab guides.

NOTE: Application should be submitted by the PI or a senior researcher/supervisor. The SIMPLER office does not have the resources to support PhD students and post docs with their applications and/or educate them on Swedish register data.

Applications are evaluated continuously. Incomplete applications will be returned alongside a request for the application to be amended before further processing.

Both ethical approval and final variable list can be attached to the application at a later stage. The application fee will be deducted from the total cost when the project is approved. All data analyses are to be performed within a designated SIMPLER project in the computational cluster Bianca (NAISS SENS, UPPMAX).

Please note that your research question should be clear and precise. Broad studies with wide and general hypotheses will not be processed. Furthermore, compulsory attachments must be completed correctly and attached. Ethical approval for your study may be submitted after approval, but note that no data will be delivered before there is an ethical approval. The following attachments are compulsory:

• Project description: maximum 3 pages, Times New Roman font size 12. Include general background, aims and hypothesis, methodology, and references
• CV for Principal Investigator (PI)
• If applicant is a junior researcher, include description of research environment and collaborators
• Ethical application(s) and ethical approval(s)
• Completed variable list form
• If applicable, completed biobank sample form

Depending on the complexity of the study design and extent of the study, either the director or the Steering Committee will evaluate your application. If questions remain or further information is needed for the evaluation, we will contact you. You are welcome to resubmit your application after suggested revisions have been made in the event that your application was rejected. If the director rejects your application you have the possibility to appeal to the Steering Committee.

If you have problems choosing specific variables from the variable code key, you can describe the desired variables in your application or contact the SIMPLER Office for help. If your application is accepted, the variable list may then be updated in dialogue with the director. This is to ensure that you get the best and most accurate variables to answer your research question.

If the PI is not affiliated with Uppsala University, a personal data processing agreement must be signed after application approval, before any data delivery can occur. Likewise, preparation and shipping of samples cannot be done for external PIs without a signed material transfer agreement.

If you need a guide for how to fill out your ethical application, you can download this template Pdf, 774 kB. (pdf). The template is available only in Swedish, as the ethical application must be written in Swedish when sending it to the Swedish Ethical Review Authority.

This page at the National Board of Health and Welfare contains descriptions of the ICD 10 codes, which are neccessary for the ethical application. Scroll down further on the page to find descriptions of ICD 9, 8, and 7.

Electronic application process

From 1 January 2020, the application for SIMPLER is done electronically, at SIMPLER's core page in iLab. Below is a short guide to a quick start, but more information on how to use iLab is found in the guide to iLab Pdf, 2 MB. (pdf). If the PI does not have an account in iLab, use the quick guide for PIs Pdf, 231 kB. (pdf) to swet up a Lab Account.

The following steps need to be taken before you can submit your SIMPLER application (called request in iLab).

• If you’re not already registered in iLab you would need to register as a new user. Go to SIMPLER's core page and click on Register at top right corner. You will receive an email after you have been registered as a user. You will then be able to continue with the steps below. If you are already a registered user, click on Sign in at the top right corner and log in using your SWAMID/iLab credentials.
• If you are not the PI nor registered as a user, you register as a user and choose a lab (equivalent to research group). You can belong to more than one lab if needed. Once your PI has approved and added you to their lab/research group, you can continue with your application for SIMPLER material. You will receive an email when the PI has authorised you.
• As a PI, you need to connect your account/s to your lab before requests can be submitted in the system.

• Click on the horizontal lines found at the top left corner.
• Select My groups.
• Select the tab Membership requests and funds. Tabs are found to the right, almost at the top of the page.
• Scroll down to Manually add funds. Insert your account number and click Add.
• Now you should be able to see your account under Manage funds at the top of the page.
• Go to SIMPLER's core page. You can find all available cores in the left menu that is opened when you click on the horizontal lines at the left top corner under Core facilities.

Select the tab Request service, choose your PI/lab, click Proceed, and click Initiate request to the right in the middle of the page. Follow the application form guide Pdf, 420 kB. (pdf) step by step. You can either save your application and continue later, or enter all requested information and submit your request to the core, i.e. SIMPLER, at once.