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Data Concierge Service

The FAS Informatics Group offers a Data Concierge service to support FAS-affiliated labs, especially those working with biological data, in managing research data more effectively. This service provides hands-on support for the development and implementation of data management processes and workflows, with the goal of enabling research continuity. This is a FREE service that is currently in “open beta” but may become a paid service in the future. Sign up is on a rolling basis and we maintain an active waitlist.

To sign up for this service, please fill out our contact form with the subject line “Data Concierge: <PI> Lab” and a short description of the support you need. You must be a PI or lab manager to request a data concierge.

Sign Up

The Data Concierge team consists of expert bioinformaticians and will work with FASRC staff, Library Data Managers, and other Harvard groups to provide recommendations and implementation assistance. We work directly with the principal investigator (PI) and at least one additional member from the research group; there is no restriction on how many group members can participate.

How it works

The service starts with an intake meeting to discuss your lab’s data management challenges and current practices. Based on this meeting, we will develop a customized data management proposal. We then provide practical assistance to implement the proposed solutions. Example services may include:

  • Comparing data storage options for your group
  • Connecting instrument computers to FASRC Cannon storage
  • Creating and documenting protocols for new data intake
  • Organizing lab-wide directory structures and standardizing metadata
  • Writing protocol documents and offboarding checklists
  • Providing training and materials for the group
  • Assisting with data migration
  • Assisting with data or code publication

The Data Concierge service is intended to be flexible and responsive to each lab’s specific context and scientific goals. Our team works to identify needs, recommend solutions, and support implementation throughout the process.