For Affiliated Researchers
CABI Use Guidelines
New User Training
All new users must complete our online MRI safety training prior to participating in research at CABI. Please watch the video below and then complete the New Users MRI Safety Quiz. New users should also submit a completed MRI screening form. Once you have completed the quiz, we will contact you to set up a tour to complete your training.

Annual Safety Renewal
All CABI users must complete MRI Safety Renewal annually. Please watch the safety refresher video below and then complete the MRI Safety Renewal form. You should also submit an updated MRI screening form. It is your responsibility to ensure that CABI has a current screening form on file.

Resource Reservations (effective date - May 1st, 2022)
- Resources may be reserved during regular business hours (Monday - Friday, 9am to 6pm). Additional evening and weekend requests may be considered for externally funded projects. Special requests should be emailed to [email protected].
- The minimum scan duration for scheduling and billing purposes is 30 minutes. Thereafter, additional time is billed in 30-minute increments. Billable time includes all setup and cleanup time. Users who run over their scheduled time will be charged for the unscheduled time in 30-minute increments. All reservations must account for anticipated preparation and cleanup time as well as any breaks during the scan.
- All reservations are managed through the online scheduling system on a first-come, first-serve basis. Scheduling requests are permitted up to two months in advance. Requests must be approved one week prior to the requested scan time.
- Priority is given to externally funded projects. Externally funded projects may request a maximum of four reservations per resource, per study, per week. Internally funded projects are limited to two reservations per resource, per study, per week. There is no limit on the number of total reservations one study may request and exceptions may be made for special studies/populations, contingent on availability.
- Scan sessions may only be requested after you have identified participants for the specific time period. Participants must be registered in COINS, with a unique research subject identifier (URSI), prior to scheduling. The COINS study name and participant URSI must be included in the “Title of reservation" field on the reservation request. The study's COINS billing code should be included in the description of the reservation request.
- Prior to scheduling, all participants should be pre-screened for MRI safety with the MRI Contraindications form. Reservations will be approved after contraindications pre-screening results have been emailed to CABI staff at [email protected]. Participants will be required to complete the MRI Safety Screener upon arrival at CABI on the day of scan.
- Any submitted scan request that does not follow appropriate scheduling procedures or fails to submit a participant contraindication form at least one week prior to requested scan time will be cancelled without prior notification.
- There will be a 15-minute gap enforced between all scans to allow for post-scan cleaning in the MRI room and scanner suite. This required buffer should not be considered part of your scheduled scan request
- Saturday slots require a minimum of 4 hours of sequential billable scan time in order for the day to make. This need not be all from one group but it can be. Saturday scan time does not count against your 4 session per week limit. It is important that researchers/participants are prepared to enter the scanner suite at their designated time. Groups should also be prepared to greet subjects at the door upon their arrival as no CABI staff will be onsite to open it for them. Groups who do not follow these guidelines may lose their ability to request Saturday scans.
Please see the Rates and Billing section for our Canceled Scan policy.
New Study Setup
- New studies are reviewed by the supervisor of research operations for feasibility and compliance prior to implementation, as well as to track projected CABI usage. To begin the study setup process, please complete the COINS New Study Request Form to provide detailed information about your study design, timeline, staffing and equipment needs. If you are unsure of your scan parameters or are new to MRI, please schedule a meeting with our research scientist to discuss your needs.
- When a study is reviewed and approved, PIs will be given access to scheduling and data management systems, scan protocols will be set up for MRI studies and an approval email with important information with be sent. Your project will also be assigned a COINS billing code, which will be used for scheduling, data collection and billing.
- Development time of two sessions per study is provided at no cost to evaluate image quality and in-scanner presentation. Users are expected to thoroughly test their paradigms outside the scanner prior to development scans and consult CABI staff on how to interface paradigms with the MRI systems. Additional development time may be granted by CABI leadership, (e.g. to evaluate novel sequences or hardware).
Data Collection
- Investigators are responsible for supervision of their research staff, experiments, data collection, and completing analyses.
- The scanner may only be operated by CABI personnel, such as an MRI technologist. Experienced users may run the scanner with prior permission from CABI personnel. An MRI technologist is still required to be present in the console room at all times.
- If you have questions regarding data collection prior to study initiation, please contact the Supervisor of Research Operations to set up a free, one-time consultation session prior to implementing your study to make sure your research needs are met.
- In collaboration with the TReNDS Center, basic data processing, analysis and pipeline customization services can be provided via the web-based BrainForge system. This service is appropriate for investigators who want to outsource some or all of the workload associated with a project. Please see the reference guide for available resources and fees.
IRB Approval Requirements
- All studies must have current IRB approval from the primary investigator's home institution.
- A current IRB approval letter and copy of stamped consent form must be on file before a study can be approved. PIs are responsible for ensuring CABI has a current copy of approval on file.
- For investigators submitting applications to the Georgia Tech or GSU IRB, IRB-approved consent form template language is available here. Investigators are strongly encouraged to use the appropriate template language whenever possible to facilitate IRB review.
- IRB submissions should include the appropriate CABI screening and contraindication forms. All screening materials can be downloaded here.
Collaborative Informatics and Neuroimaging Suite (COINS) Use at CABI
- All studies must be registered in COINS prior to the first scan. The study PI should complete the COINS study registration here.
- Users should visit the COINS website to request an account using your institution email. On the homepage, click “Sign Up” in the upper right-hand corner to complete the registration form. Click “I have a site” at the bottom of the form and select “Center for Advanced Brain Imaging” from the dropdown. A COINS user account with PI-designated permissions is needed to access scan data and register study participants prior to scan.
- An active COINS scan credit balance is required for all scans. Complete this form to request credits.
Rates
Rates are posted for the current fiscal year. At the end of this period, all rates will be subject to review. Prices listed are for the minimum All rates are posted in the minimum billable increment (30 minutes).
Please submit the study request form prior to beginning any project.
Current rates
All charges on or after the effective date (July 1, 2020) will be in accordance with the rates below. For current users with or without grants and those who have documentation of a grant that was submitted before 6/30/2020 and that did not factor in these new rates and policies, we will provide small recharge funds to offset these new costs. Please contact us.
MRI Scans | Price per Scan Credit (1 credit = 30mins) |
|
Internal research users Rate for Georgia Research Alliance faculty research |
$237.50 | |
Non-commercial external users Rate for research sponsored by non-GRA institutions such as non-profit organizations and other universities |
$287.50 | |
Industry Rate for scans supported by industry-sponsored projects |
$500 | |
EEG, in or out of scanner | ||
Internal research users Rate for Georgia Research Alliance faculty research |
$50/per session | |
Non-commercial external users Rate for research sponsored by non-GRA institutions such as non-profit organizations and other universities |
$75/per session | |
Industry Rate for scans supported by industry-sponsored projects |
$150/per session |
MRI Cancellation Procedures
- Reservations cancelled within 48 hours of the scan time are subject to a 50 percent charge. To promote lab accountability, this last-minute cancellation fee applies to all subject-related justifications: subject no-show, subject illness, inability to be scanned (e.g. size, claustrophobia), which are expected to be relatively infrequent. Fees will not apply to scans cancelled due to CABI hardware or software malfunction.
- If the Georgia Tech campus is closed for any reason and there is a scan scheduled, users will not be charged for a cancellation. If a participant cancels within 48 hours of the scheduled scan start time due to inclement weather but the Georgia Tech campus remains open, it will be considered a last-minute cancellation and the fees will apply.
Incentive Credits and Cancellation Waivers
- For every 10 completed MRI scans funded by external awards, the awarded PI will earn one COINS scan credit (30 minutes of scan time) as an incentive to promote pilot research. The incentive credit balance will be distributed to an internal COINS billing code and will be available from the time the credit accrues until it expires (one year after the grant ends). The incentive credit balance can only be applied to MRI charges at CABI, including late cancellation/no-show charges, and has no cash value. This credit may be used to fund scan time by indicating the COINS billing code on the MRI Requisition form. The total accumulated incentive credit, credits used, remaining credit balance and expiration date can be reviewed in COINS under the "Imaging" > "List Credits" tab.
- For every 10 completed MRI scans regardless of funding source, the last-minute cancellation charge can be waived once. Unlike incentive credits, these credits cannot be used to fund additional scan time. Waivers are specific to a study and are not transferable between studies. Cancellation charges will be deferred during the study and waivers will be applied automatically. At the end of the study, any outstanding cancellation charges will be billed.
CABI Seed Grants
CABI provides seed grants to facilitate the future development of external grant applications. Seed grants are provided in the form of up to 20 hours of allocated MRI scan time and/or BrainForge data processing and analyses for up to 25 subjects.
These resources are intended to enable investigators to demonstrate feasibility, develop scientific and technical expertise, establish collaborations and, secondarily, publish in peer-reviewed journals. Seed grants are intended for investigators with experience in the proposed methods, as well as those with little or no experience who have developed a collaborative plan to acquire such experience. New investigators are encouraged to consult with the CABI team early in the development of their project.
Key Dates
2025 Seed grant applications are now open. Proposals should be submitted via online form by
April 9, 2025.
Awardees will be notified by May 14, 2025.
Eligibility
- Principal Investigator should have a full-time faculty appointment and must be eligible to submit an NIH R01 application (or equivalent) at their institution. They should not have other resources adequate for pilot studies in this area (such as start-up funds or an existing funded project). Research teams may also include students, postdocs and other faculty members, as well as researchers from other institutions.
- Research teams must have sufficient expertise in study design, implementation, data acquisition and data analysis, or must detail specific plans to develop this expertise. Proposed projects must not fit within the scope of funded research programs of any team member. Recipients of prior CABI seed grants may submit continuation applications, e.g. in response to review requests for additional data.
Award Conditions
- Awards support MRI usage at CABI and/or BrainForge processing and analyses. Awards may not be used to cover any other research costs. Awards will typically support up to 20 one-hour MRI sessions. When estimating the time needed per MRI session, account for all setup and cleanup time. Awards may also include BrainForge data processing and/or analyses for up to 25 subjects in one modality. This may include MRI data collected as part of the seed grant award or previously collected data. Additional time may be granted with appropriate justification (e.g. a study involves unusually long protocols, or multiple visits). Request for access to periphery CABI resources such as BrainVision EEG system or TMS equipment will be considered with appropriate justification and availability. We encourage you to discuss additional time and/or periphery equipment needs with CABI staff prior to application submission.
- Projects must have IRB approval before awards are released. Recipients must submit a copy of the IRB approval letter and stamped consent form and complete a COINS study request form prior to data collection.
- Any research products must acknowledge CABI support. CABI and/or TReNDS staff must be included as authors when they provide substantive theoretical, design or analysis support.
- An annual report is required, describing progress towards funding and any research products.
- Awards expire one year after the date awarded. You may request a six-month extension prior to the expiration date. Requests should be submitted 30 to 90 days prior to award expiration.
Review Criteria
Applications will be reviewed on the following criteria:
- Potential for external funding
- Scientific merit
- Likelihood of success
- Qualifications of the research team to complete the proposed work
- Outcome of past CABI seed grants (if applicable)
- Availability of funds to support non-CABI costs, such as participant payments and salary
- Financial need
Application
Download and complete the application template and requested attachments. Formatting should adhere to NIH guidelines (font at least 11pt, 0.5-inch margins). Submit your completed application, including all attachments, as a single PDF file using the online form.
- Title of Application
- Abstract and Specific Aims (0.5 page maximum)
- Research Strategy: Briefly describe the significance and innovation of the proposed project; provide a summary of current literature to motivate the project; describe the approach you will use to address your aims, including experimental design, data acquisition plan and data analysis plan (1.0 page maximum).
- Renewal Justification: For renewal applications, briefly describe your accomplishments during the original award period, provide new objectives for the renewal period, and explain why additional CABI resources are needed to achieve these objectives. For example, if you have received external reviews, explain how additional CABI funding will help address review comments and strengthen a resubmission. (0.5 page maximum)
- References
- Timeline and Funding Strategy: Include a timeline for data acquisition, data analysis and grant submission. Briefly describe appropriate funding opportunities and explain how the proposed seed grant will be used to support your grant submission. Describe your anticipated external total budget and anticipated budget for CABI resources (0.5 page maximum).
- Key Personnel: List all personnel responsible for the design and implementation of the study. When the PI does not have documented expertise in the proposed methods, a plan for developing this expertise in collaboration with other members of the research team should be described.
- Budget: Specify and justify the number and duration of MRI scan time requested for seed funding. Requests for more than 20 sessions of MRI time require exceptional justification. List other costs needed to complete the proposed pilot project and source of funds.
- Attachments:
- Biosketch: Include an NIH or NSF style biosketch for the PI(s). List all funding active within the last three years.
- Other support: For each PI and co-investigator, list active and pending funding and scope in NIH format. Explain why the proposed project falls outside the scope of current and pending funding.
- IRB protocol: Include a PDF of your complete pending or approved IRB protocol. If a protocol has not yet been submitted, include time to IRB approval in your timeline. Seed awards will not be released prior to IRB approval.
- Grant reviews: For renewal applications, provide reviewer comments on your external funding application.
CABI Educational Use Awards
As part of our commitment to education, the GSU/GT Center for Advanced Brain Imaging is proud to offer educational use scan awards. Educational use opportunities are provided in the form of up to 20 scan credits (10 hours) per semester. These awards are intended to enable Georgia State and Georgia Tech educators with resources to provide MRI-related training to students enrolled in a university sponsored course or other educational opportunity.
Key Dates
Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis until all semester credits are allocated.
Applications should be emailed to [email protected].
Eligibility
- Applicant should be the instructor of record for a course offered by an educational institution. Preference will be given to GSU and GT applicants. Applicant must have sufficient expertise in MRI study design, implementation, data acquisition, and data analysis.
- Proposed educational scan use must fit within the scope of course as outlined by syllabus or workshop agenda. Syllabus/agenda should be submitted with application.
- Priority will be given to one GSU and GT educational course per semester. Remaining credits may be allocated to additional applicants on a first come, first serve basis.
- Sponsored workshops are eligible for full award. Workshops that require paid attendance will not be eligible to receive full award but may receive matching funds (see award conditions below).
Award Conditions
- Awards support MRI usage at CABI for a maximum of 10 scan credits (5 hours) per semester per applicant. Awards may not be used to cover any other research costs. When estimating the time needed per MRI session, account for all setup and cleanup time.
- If additional scan time is required, applicant may request additional CABI matching funds. Applicant will be responsible for paying for scan credits used above the initial award. These will be charged at the internal rate ($237.50 per credit); CABI will provide additional matching funds equal to the amount paid. Workshops not eligible for full award may apply for matching funds.
- Applicant may request access to additional CABI resources, which should be indicated on award application. Applicant should have sufficient expertise in resource use or indicate plans to ensure adequate instruction on such.
- CABI staff will be available to facilitate scans but applicant must provide adequate staffing for course instruction and student oversight. A member of the teaching staff (i.e., instructor or TA) must be present at all scans.
- All students enrolled in the course or workshop must complete the online portion of CABI’s MRI safety training and submit an MRI screening form. The in-person portion may be scheduled in accordance with the course/workshop agenda at instructor’s discretion.
- All resource access is at the discretion of CABI staff and subject to availability.
CABI Data Repository hosted by Collaborative Informatics and Neuroimaging Suite
The CABI MRI Data Repository serves as an archive of the neuroimaging data as well as relevant health and demographic data collected during the course of IRB-approved human research activities that take place at CABI.
Submitting Data
PIs interested in submitting study data should submit a Repository Submittal Agreement to [email protected]. Once the agreement is submitted, CABI staff will facilitate the transfer of all data and relevant demographic information from the submitting study’s COINS portal to the COINS repository portal. All data will be coded using the pre-assigned COINS URSI number.
Data will be stored in the repository indefinitely unless it is requested to be withdrawn by the participant or PI of the submitting project. If a participant requests that their data be removed from the repository, all data pertaining to the participant will be withdrawn. Similarly, a PI may also request to remove their study’s data from the database at any point.
The following data can be added to the repository:
- All structural MRI data collected at CABI (including T1, T2, and DWI structural MRI scans)
- Any functional (resting state or task based) scans that are collected at CABI
- Any metabolic MR data collected
- Health and demographic data obtained on the Health Screening Form and MRI Screening Form. These data will allow investigators to request MRI scans based on particular age ranges, health status, and clinical diagnosis.
To submit data to the Repository, PI of the contributing project must submit the following:
- A signed Repository Submittal Agreement
- A copy of the project’s IRB approval letter and consent form
- A copy of all participants’ signed consent to data sharing (and assent form for minors ages 12 – 17) at the time of scan. A signed Repository Consent will be accepted if completed after data has been collected.
Data Sharing
Researchers interested in accessing repository data should complete a Repository Sharing Agreement. Shared data will be de-identified, consistent with the COINS data exchange procedures, prior to data being released to recipient researchers. The recipient researcher will not receive access to coded URSIs or the primary project’s IRB protocol number, nor will have read/write access to the files containing coded information. CABI staff will facilitate the transfer of all requested data electronically, via COINS, to a folder accessible by the recipient.