Resources for Research Teams

Building Successful Scientific Collaborations

Successful collaborations don't just happen. NIH has found that discussing expectations at the outset of a collaboration significantly improves the likelihood of success. NIH ombudsman Howard Gadlin provided practical tools in use at NIH for our use.

Collaboration and Team Science: A Field Guide

This NIH guide describes the challenges and gives advice on how to put together a science team that can work together successfully.

Partnering Agreement Template

Another challenge is to clarify expectations among peers on a grant or scientific project. Collaborators should discuss the issues that predictably cause conflict on scientific teams. 

National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences Forms & Model Agreements

Collaboration Agreement

  • Collaboration agreement developed by: L. Michelle Bennett, Michael O’Rourke, and Edgar Cardenas

Welcome to My Research Group/Lab Templates

A written statement of expectations about how to work in a lab or on a project can be helpful. One example is a welcome letter:

"Welcome to My Research Group" Letter Template

"Welcome to My Lab" Letter Template