The following is a description of a typical consulting interaction between ICB personnel (consultant) and a faculty or staff member of the Weill Medical College of Cornell University (client).

Initial meeting:

The consultant learns about the biological question and problems. Asks questions about what has been done so far and defines the expectations of the client. This meeting is crucial in defining the scope of the project. (~1 h.)

Quotation:

The consultant generates a quote that precisely describes the steps to be carried out during the project and estimates the cost to the investigators. (~30 mins.) [Fees]

Quote approval:

The investigator reviews the quote and accepts it. Work on the project will start upon acceptance.

Project Work:

The consultant carries out the analyses described in the quote.

Project Report:

The consultant generates a report that summarizes the tasks performed for the project, the parameters of the methods used, and provides data generated during the project to the investigator. The report provides enough information that the Consultant can write a method section for an article at a later time if required (~1-2 h.)

Report Meeting:

It is often needed to meet with the investigators to explain specific points of the report (~1h). These meetings sometime lead to the definition of a new project.

For further information about consulting services at the ICB please visit our list of frequently asked questions [FAQ].