The Researcher’s Guide to LSU

Our teams in the Office of Research & Economic Development are here to help you succeed as a researcher at LSU. To facilitate your transition to your new research position or to help you expand your research portfolio, we have developed this onboarding material with links to university contacts and resources, some of which require a MyLSU account for access. Please also rely on the expertise and guidance of your department head, your college’s associate dean of research, your dean, Human Resource Managament, as well as your department/college-level administrators.

Have a question? We’re here for you: research@lsu.edu

Getting Started

The best way for us to learn about your needs, provide personalized services, and help your team develop a comprehensive plan for submission, is to request support through our Proposal Development Request Form. We offer support with strategy, teambuilding, budgets, editing, graphics, and more.

Please refer to our proposal development Moodle page, which includes agency-specific guidance as well as boilerplate language.

Always remember that our world-class research centers, institutes, and core facilities are available to you and your team.

For additional resources, refer to Proposals and Proposal Development Toolkit.

This is one of the most common questions researchers have, and we're here to help. The best way to reach out is through our Proposal Development Request Form.

All proposals/grant applications must be routed through GeauxGrants seven (7) business days prior to sponsor deadlines for institutional review and approval by the Office of Sponsored Programs.

Please contact osp@lsu.edu and your department/college grant coordinator.

For NIH/ERA Commons: Request to change your eRA Commons Affiliation to LSU

For NSF: Email osp@lsu.edu to affiliate your NSF/Research.gov account with LSU

For CITI Training: LSU contracts with CITI to provide faculty training on responsible conduct in research, export controls, human subjects, and research security. Please update your existing CITI account to affiliate with LSU or create a new account. Designate your @lsu.edu email as the Primary CITI email address.

For questions, please contact osp@lsu.edu or compliance@lsu.edu.

 

As a faculty member at LSU, you should be automatically subscribed to our weekly GeauxGrants Newsletter emails announcing new, curated funding opportunities, sponsor guidance, and updates from LSU leadership. You can also subscribe directly and browse previous issues.

You should also start receiving our quarterly LSU Research Highlights which includes the most important research news from the flagship campus and beyond. Subscribers to our GeauxGrants Newsletter automatically receive LSU Research Highlights.

Our landmark publication and website Working for Louisiana shares research impact stories from across the LSU campuses on various themes, including strategic LSU research priorities and partnerships. Anyone can subscribe.

You can choose to follow @LSU and @LSUResearch on social media. The main LSU accounts for research news include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky, and LinkedIn. The LSU Research accounts include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Bluesky.

Don't miss our (almost) monthly get-togethers at the Varsity Theatre where LSU researchers present their work at Science Café. Subscribe to our mailing list.

LSU Libraries can help researchers one-on-one, including with publication and data management plans. They also recently launched a research newsletter. Subscribe to receive LSU Libraries Research News ten times per year. 

Transferring Awards

The research office at your outgoing institution, LSU’s Office of Sponsored Programs, and your new college/department administrator(s) will work together to transfer your award. For questions, please contact osp@lsu.edu or your department/college administators.

  • Notify agency sponsors to begin the transfer Request instructions for transferring your project to LSU
  • Complete appropriate transfer materials/relinquishment forms depending on agency requirements
  • Route a transfer application in GeauxGrants; refer to Sponsored Projects Step-by-Step Guides

Transferring Materials and Equipment

Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs) are for the transfer of tangible research property from one entity to another.

  • To begin negotiation of a new MTA, please contact the Office of Innovation & Technology Commercialization, itc@lsu.edu
  • To organize the transfer of equipment, please contact Property Management, property@lsu.edu

You can request a general research consultation meeting with LSU Information Technology Services, including in preparation for grant proposals.

If you need help negotiating a Data Use Agreement (DUA), which restricts how data can be used and who may have access to the data, please contact the Office of Innovation & Technology Commercialization, itc@lsu.edu.

You can also review LSU’s IT Security & Policy Office Guidelines.

How to approach the most common research-related agreements:

  • To begin negotiation of a Confidentiality Agreement or Non-disclosure Agreement (CDA or NDA), please contact the Office of Innovation & Technology Commercialization, itc@lsu.edu
  • To begin negotiation of a non-NIH Data Use or Material Transfer Agreement, please contact the Office of Innovation & Technology Commercialization, itc@lsu.edu
  • To begin negotiation of an NIH Data Use Agreement, a Master Research Agreement, Teaming Agreement, Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), National Lab User Agreement, Collaboration Agreement, Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA), please contact the Office of Sponsored Programs, osp@lsu.edu
  • To begin negotiation of a $0 international collaboration agreement, please contact Global Partnerships, partnerships@lsu.edu
  • To begin negotiation of a Sales of Service agreement for outside sales of routine services, please refer to the Sales of Service and Sponsored Projects Guide

Safety and Compliance

Per PS-98, disclosure of significant financial interests (SFI) and any externally funded travel is required for investigators with externally funded sponsored projects. The SFI disclosure form must be completed annually and updated within 30 days of discovering or acquiring any new or previously undisclosed interests. You will not be approved to participate in LSU sponsored projects without a completed and current SFI disclosure on file.

Per PM-11, outside employment by LSU employees must be disclosed for administrative review and approval. This includes direct employment with any non-university employer, contracts for consulting or other professional services, and any self-employment or operation of a business.

For questions, please contact the Office of Research Compliance, Integrity & Security, compliance@lsu.edu.

To confirm if you are engaged in a research project subject to export control regulations, please contact the Office of Research Compliance, Integrity & Security, compliance@lsu.edu.

 For questions, please contact Environmental Health & Safety, lsuehs@lsu.edu.

Human Subjects

LSU policy states all activities involving human participants must be presented to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) for a determination as to whether the activity needs IRB approval. For questions, please contact irb@lsu.edu. See also NIH’s Decision Tool: Am I Doing Human Subjects Research?

  • If your project includes human subjects research and requires IRB review, submission through the GeauxGrants IRB Module is required

Animal Subjects

The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) has the primary responsibility for ethical oversight of all activities involving the care and use of vertebrate animals, including, but not limited to, establishing policies and procedures, inspecting facilities, reviewing and approving research protocols, and monitoring adherence to approved protocols. All personnel involved with the care and use of animals must be adequately educated, trained, and/or qualified in basic principles of laboratory animal science to help ensure high-quality science and animal well-being. For questions, please contact iacuc@lsu.edu. 

  • If a project involves vertebrate animals, an animal protocol submission through the GeauxGrants IACUC Module is required; a just-in-time approval can be given at the time of grant application

Radiation

The Radiation Safety Office (RSO) is responsible for implementing radiation control policies and ensuring safe practices to be fully in compliance with federal and state regulations and to ensure individual well-being and the integrity of the university. For questions, please contact adavila@lsu.edu. 
 

The Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) oversees the use of various biological agents that have the potential to result in accidental exposures to University personnel, liability and public relations issues, community outbreaks of disease, or damage to natural ecosystems.

All biological research, teaching, and/or diagnostics at LSU and the LSU AgCenter are to be conducted using accepted biological safety practices and in full compliance with university policies and all applicable federal rules and regulations relating to such activities. Accordingly, all projects involving biological material, recombinant DNA, pathogens of humans, livestock, animals, and plants, and biological toxins must be registered and reviewed by the Inter-Institutional Biological and Recombinant DNA Safety Committee (IBRDSC). Any LSU employee doing lab work on LSU property will likely need IBC approval prior to conducting research.  Please visit the IBC website to learn about Research Requiring IBC Review.

For questions, please contact Abigail Fish, afish5@lsu.edu. 

Congrats on Your Award—Now, What?

If expenditures will be incurred before an agreement is fully executed, the Principal Investigator (PI) may request a tentative grant number. A tentative grant should only be requested when a PI is sure of funding. Obtaining a tentative grant will allow a PI to begin working on a project in anticipation of the fully executed agreement. However, the tentative grant may not be established until a proposal is submitted and all required special committee and compliance approvals are obtained.

Please contact your department's business manager to initiate an AS 494 – Request to Establish Tentative Grant.

Once a grant, contract, or agreement involving a subaward is fully executed, the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) will initiate the subaward issuance process, prepare the draft subaward, route for approvals, and create the requisition in Workday. You can reach the Office of Sponsored Programs about this at subs@lsu.edu.

Please contact your department administrator for assistance with proposing and initiating a subaward.

The Office of Innovation & Technology Commercialization (ITC) manages LSU’s innovative technologies. ITC works with researchers to protect their innovations and get them to the marketplace for the public's benefit. The first step in this process is telling ITC about your innovation (i.e., completing a disclosure).

  • If you have work that could lead to potentially patentable technology or copyrightable materials, consider submitting a Disclosure Form to ITC before sharing your work with other researchers or the public (manuscript, presentation, etc.).

If you’re interested in learning more about protecting your intellectual property and commercializing your technology, please contact the Office of Innovation & Technology Commercialization, itc@lsu.edu.

LSU has numerous state-of-the-art instruments available for LSU researchers on a fee-per-use basis. Visit the Advanced Microscopy and Analytical Core.

To gain access to computational resources, visit Information Technology Services or our Center for Computation & Technology. If you’re unsure about the types of IT resources or services you need, or want help optimizing available resources, you can request a consultation with ITS.

  • Please contact your department business manager to get started
  • Review FASOP: AS-30 (Effort Reporting Policy)

We offer limited to comprehensive support for events aligned with strategic research priorities. Let us know about your plans and goals at research@lsu.edu.

Each year, LSU recognizes excellence in research and scholarship through Rainmaker and Distinguished Research Master awards.

LSU also supports the pursuit of highly prestigious awards, such as induction into the National Academies. Review the National Research Council's list of more than 200 awards, honors, and recognitions across the arts and humanities, physical sciences and engineering, social sciences, and life sciences.

We are committed to communicating the impact and value of LSU research. If you have an idea for a story, you can reach us at research@lsu.edu.