Navigating the Northwestern University Partnership and Available Researcher Resources

The Northwestern University and Lurie Children's Access Program creates a collaborative approach between Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and its affiliates for non-clinical researchers accessing space or infrastructure at the other institution for research purposes. The agreement streamlines the onboarding process and outlines the required steps, including background checks, health screenings, and trainings to allow access at each institution. This agreement applies only to research faculty and staff employed by Feinberg or Lurie Children's. 

Standard Operating Policy 

View the Standard Operating Policy for Research Collaborators (non-clinical). All other collaborator types can refer to the Onboarding Unpaid Positions SharePoint site.

Submission Process

Northwestern and Lurie Children's non-clinical research staff or the department contact will need to submit a REDCap intake form to begin the process. The Northwestern and Lurie Children's access team will confirm that all researchers meet the required corporate health checks (including health and drug screening), criminal background checks, annual flu standards, and any other mandatory health related requirements for the role with an IRB-approved study. The access team will reach out directly with a response and any next steps. If additional health screening and/or vaccination documentation is needed, the researcher and manager will be notified. Please note that the annual flu vaccines are required at Lurie Children's. 

Submit Form

Workday Processes

The Workday onboarding steps remain the same for research collaborators. Once the REDCap intake is submitted and reviewed, approval will be issued to move forward with creating a "Contingent Worker- LCH Affiliate Collaborator" position in Workday. 

Reference the Create a Contingent Worker Position tipsheet for more information.

Information System User Access for Collaborators

If system user access is required for the collaborator, you must submit a non-employee/vendor access request in Service Now. 

Mandatory Training Requirements 

All research collaborators must complete the organization's annual mandatory training requirements at both institutions that are specific to the type of research completed. 

Contact

Email NULurieResearchAccess@luriechildrens.org with questions. 

Onboarding Resources

The Northwestern and Lurie Children's Access team created tools to help understand the steps of the process for onboarding non-clinical Northwestern research affiliates. 

• Frequently Asked Questions

Northwestern University systems support vital research, academic, and operational activities across Lurie Children’s. Personnel—including employees, contractors, and non-Northwestern University students or trainees—must request NetIDs through Lurie Children’s Office of the Chief Operating Officer (OCOO). This process ensures secure and appropriate access based on institutional affiliation and system need(s).

Who Needs a Northwestern University NetID?

You may require a Northwestern University NetID if your responsibilities involve access to any of the following:

• Human Resources systems
• Financial or administrative tools
• Research systems and data
• Academic or educational platforms 

Faculty, postdoctoral associates, and research scientists are issued NetIDs through divisional onboarding processes and do not need to submit a separate request.

System-Based NetID Needs 

Northwestern University Enterprise Systems

Examples include: Faculty Recruitment System, CAESAR, Canvas

Research-Related Systems

Examples include: REDCap (project-level), eIRB (human subjects research), IACUC, NOTIS / eCRF, Quest, FSMResFiles 

Note: For all research-related NetIDs, Lurie Children’s personnel must also be included as a study contact in RASCAL.  

Specialty Academic Systems 

Examples include: Interfolio, Conduits (Lurie IT only), OASIS (for course directors, coordinators, etc.), CME Tracker

No System Access Required? 

If you do not need access to any of the systems above:

• • You may not need a NetID at this time.
  • If you believe access is essential to your role, submit a request with a detailed explanation for OCOO review. 

Systems Not Available to Lurie Staff 

Due to licensing restrictions, the following Norhtwestern University systems are not approved for Lurie Children’s use: Zoom, Adobe, and Qualtrics 

How to Request a NetID 

All NetID requests must be submitted via the Northwestern University NetID Request Form and are reviewed by the Office of the Chief Operating Officer.

NET ID Request Form

• Requests must demonstrate a valid business need, tied to specific system access.
• Requests lacking clear justification may be delayed for further review. 

Note: Individuals working in the Simpson Querrey Biomedical Research Center do not need to request a NetID. One is issued during onboarding to support access to the facility, emergency alerts, and mandatory safety training. 

Processing Time 

Processing time varies based on:

• Request completeness and accuracy
• Compliance with use case requirements
• Northwestern University business hours and holidays 

Typical turnaround: 

• 1–2 weeks, though requests may take up to 3–4 weeks
• Annual renewals are required for OCOO-sponsored NetIDs and must be requested proactively 

How to Check Your NetID Status 

To confirm your NetID is active:

• Visit NUValidate
• Log in with your NetID and password
• If successful, your NetID is active
• If login fails, submit a renewal request to the OCOO

Note: Do not contact Northwestern University IT or Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine IT directly.

All NetID requests for Lurie Children’s personnel must go through the OCOO unless you hold an official Northwestern University faculty or academic appointment. 

Need Help? 

For questions or support with NetID requests, contact the Office of Chief Operating Officer. 

Lurie Children’s research staff looking to obtain access to Northwestern Memorial HealthCare (NMHC) systems or clinical practice privileges to conduct research at Northwestern University or its affiliating locations (Northwestern Medical Group, Lake Forest Hospital, Central DuPage Hospital, etc.) will need to submit a request to the NMHC Research Access Program.

Resources:

• For a quick summary of processes and all available resources, view the NMHC Access instructional video.
• The first step is to contact your area’s assigned Access Program Liaison to obtain guidance on this process.
• The Access Program Manual outlines the options for level of access and the various requirements based on the level of access needed.
• Review the Frequently Asked Questions.
• If applicable, work with your liaison to complete Lurie Children’s Risk Management Trust Application to obtain a liability certificate.

Journal, e-book, and database subscriptions are managed by Northwestern University and may require a university NetID. Lurie Children’s employees can access many of these resources while on-site by using the Galter Health Sciences Library. Contact Andrea Fawcett for assistance.

Access Instructions:

• Enter the name of the resource or keywords in the search box.
• When an item of interest is located in the results list, click “online access.”
• You will be redirected to a page that asks you to sign in with your NetID.
• If you do not have a NetID, click “continue without Galter sign in.” In many cases, you will be able to access the resource.
  
  

Lurie Children’s and Northwestern University have an Institutional Authorization Agreement which allows the Northwestern University Institutional Review Board (IRB) to rely on the Lurie Children’s IRB for the review of human subjects under certain circumstances. To learn more about this reliance agreement, refer to our IRB reliance agreements page.

Resources:

• For a quick summary of processes and available resources, view the Lurie Children's and Northwestern IRB instructional video. 

The Office of Research Integrity and Compliance (ORIC) instructs Manne Research Institute investigators with animal protocols will go utilize Northwestern University’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). For a list of available animal services and costs, visit the Center for Comparison Medicine. For more information on IACUC processes, please reference ORIC’s IACUC page and resources available in the Understanding Your Research Resources section below.

Resources:

• For a quick summary of processes and available resources, view the IACUC instructional video

Lurie Children’s and Manne Research Institute partner with Northwestern University’s Innovation and New Ventures Office via the Innovate2Impact (I2I) program. Interested in learning more about innovation and how to get started? Contact the I2I program Director Kosh Ghosh for guidance.

REDCap is a secure, web-based application designed to support data capture, allowing users to build and manage online surveys and databases quickly and securely. Manne Research Institute investigators may have access to the Northwestern REDCap instance for research use only. A NETID is required for access. Visit the Lurie Children's REDCap Resource Hub to learn more about the differences between the Lurie Children's and Northwestern REDCap instances.