The University of Iowa owns the primary research results generated from all research, development, and related activities conducted under its jurisdiction.  The University’s ownership of data derives from federal regulations that impose legal and financial accountability for awarded funds on the University as the grantee of those funds or from contractually-imposed research sponsor requirements.  The University also owns clinical data recorded in patient medical records.  Consistent with academic tradition and its Intellectual Property Policy, the University does not claim ownership of copyrightable works of scholarship, research, or pedagogy.

In the event a Principal Investigator on a project leaves the University and wishes to take original data to his/her new institution, ownership of the original data may be transferred to the new institution with the approval of the Vice President for Research and, where applicable, the permission of the research sponsor.  In such cases, the University will execute a written agreement with the new institution wherein that institution accepts the University’s legal and financial obligations for the data and guarantees the University’s access to the original data if that should become necessary.  Where these requirements have not been met, the original data will remain at the University and the PI may take a copy of that data, assuming no sponsor restrictions.  If an investigator other than a PI leaves the University, s/he may take a copy of data from projects in which s/he was involved at the University, again assuming no sponsor restrictions.

For human subjects research, update the HawkIRB application:

  • If the project will continue under another UI Principal Investigator, submit a Modification form to change the PI.
  • If you will take data/specimens with you to your new institution, submit a Modification form to describe this in Section X.5 and Section X.6.
  • If the project will NOT continue under another UI PI, submit a Project Close form.