Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center

Project Pricing for KSCIRC Neuroscience Cores (A-C)

                As an alternative to the current hourly fee schedule that the KNC is using, a new pricing schedule that encompasses complete projects has been developed.  These projects are separated based on project complexity and include animal surgery, animal care, behavioral testing based on the project level, and data analysis.  Individuals may customize their particular project after discussions with the Core personnel.  To facilitate utilization of project pricing, discounts in comparison to the hourly fee schedule have been included in all projects.

                Projects are separated into 9 groups based on surgery complexity and the level of subsequent behavioral testing required for a given project.  These are for standard experimental sizes (N=10-20 animals total) and standard duration (4-6 weeks).  The project includes utilization of core personnel for surgery, animal care, behavioral testing, and data analysis.   The projects are separated by total project complexity and surgical complexity.

                Project complexity   

BASIC:  This includes surgery, animal care, and data analys

STANDARD:  Includes surgery, animal care, data analysis, and 2 “common” behavioral tests

STANDARD PLUS KINEMATICS:  This is an addition to the standard level project.  The pricing set in the chart is based on certain parameters – if the project requires changes in those parameters (increased testing, use of additional core personnel), this will increase costs.

NON-STANDARD:  This includes surgery, animal care, data analysis, and 1-2 “common” behavioral tests and 2 “uncommon” behavioral tests.

Surgical complexity

BASIC:  Examples for this level of complexity include tail vein injections or equivalent.  Often this is added to other more complex surgeries. N=10-20 animals.

STANDARD:  Examples include contusion - mid-thoracic, lacerations, injections. N=10-20 animals.

COMPLEX:  Examples include contusion – lower thoracic/lumbar, headplug/muscle implants, jugular+contusion, or equivalent complexity.  N=15-20 animals.

“Common” vs “Uncommon” behavioral testing – Uncommon is much more labor intensive.

Kinematics:  Kinematic testing is highly labor intensive, with even the simplest often doubling or more the total labor time for the entire project (either through increased behavioral testing time or data analysis time).   Kinematics includes Treadscan (4-6 weeks, analysis of 40 measures), bottom & side cameras (2-3 weeks, analysis of 5-10 measures).  

Adjustments (increase to base cost)

New procedure:  If the project requires a new/novel procedure, there will be an increase in time as personnel learn the new procedure.

Training of lab members:  Training of lab personnel increases the time required for whichever project aspect the lab member is being trained in.

Sample size increases:  Prices are based on a standard size for a given surgery procedure.                                           

Study time greater than 6-8 weeks

Major addition in procedures beyond listed

Adjustments (reductions to base cost)

Mix & Matching (where appropriate):  Substitutions that reduce Core personnel usage in the project (i.e., lab members take over some aspects of the project), or exchanging more labor intensive tests with less labor intensive testing will be adjusted accordingly.   

Preliminary data for grant submission:  Users with grant deadlines for preliminary data can be given discounts based on the understanding that the grant (if funded) will utilize the Core facilities.

New user:  The first project a user starts with the Cores will get an additional discount

Multiple or overlapping projects:  If a lab is doing more than 6 basic projects or more than 3 standard/non-standard projects in a year, they will get a volume discount