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Requesting Data Access

Overview

All data access on Quark's Trusted Research Environment is governed by a formal request and approval workflow. Researchers may request access to either an entire dataset or a custom-built cohort (a subset of data matching specific criteria). Every access request is reviewed and approved by the Data Access Committee (DAC) or the Project Administrator before access is granted.

This governance model ensures that data flow is controlled and monitored at all times, maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of patient data within the TRE.

Types of Access Requests

Quark supports two types of data access requests:

Request Type Description When to Use
Dataset Access Request Grants access to an entire dataset available in the Data Catalog. When a researcher needs to work with all records in a dataset, without applying specific filtering criteria.
Cohort Access Request Grants access to a defined subset of data that meets the study's phenotypic and/or genotypic criteria. When a researcher has built a cohort using the Query Builder and needs access to the resulting de-identified, person-level data.

Requesting Access to an Entire Dataset

Researchers may request access to a full dataset directly from the Data Catalog without building a cohort.

Submitting a Dataset Access Request

  1. Select Datasets from the Navigation Menu on the left.
  2. Navigate to the Catalog tab to view all available datasets.
  3. Click on the dataset you wish to access. This opens the Dataset Summary dashboard.
  4. Click the Save Cohort icon in the top-right corner of the Dataset Summary screen.

Save Cohort icon on the Dataset Summary dashboard

  1. In the form that appears, fill in the following fields:
  2. Name — Enter a descriptive name for the dataset access request (e.g., Entire_MIMIC).
  3. Click Submit.

Dataset access request form

The access request is now submitted to the Data Access Committee for review.

Requesting Access to Additional Datasets

You may repeat the process above for any number of datasets. For example, to request access to a second dataset:

  1. Select Datasets from the Navigation Menu → navigate to the Catalog tab.
  2. Click on the target dataset (e.g., onco-omop).
  3. Click Save Cohort in the top-right corner of the Dataset Summary screen.
  4. Enter a name (e.g., Entire_onco-omop) and click Submit.

Requesting Access to a Cohort

After building and validating a cohort using the Query Builder (see Building a Cohort), researchers may submit a Cohort Access Request to gain access to de-identified, person-level data for the defined cohort.

Submitting a Cohort Access Request

  1. From the Cohort Summary dashboard (generated after running a cohort search), scroll to the top of the page.
  2. Click the Save Cohort icon in the top-right corner of the dashboard.

Save Cohort icon on the Cohort Summary dashboard

  1. In the form that appears, fill in the following fields:
  2. Name — Enter a descriptive name for the cohort (e.g., AFib_metoprolol_cohort).
  3. Description — Provide a brief description of the cohort's composition (e.g., "This cohort includes adult patients diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation who received at least one prescription for Metoprolol tartrate 25 MG Oral Tablet.").
  4. Justification — Explain the research justification for requesting access to this specific cohort.
  5. Tags — Add searchable tags to make the cohort easily retrievable. Click Add New, then enter a Key (e.g., Condition) and a Value (e.g., AFib). Add additional tags as required.

Cohort access request form with fields filled

  1. Review all form entries for accuracy.
  2. Click Submit.

The Cohort Access Request is now submitted to the Data Access Committee for review.

Tracking the Status of Your Requests

After submitting an access request, you can monitor its status from the Cohorts tab.

Viewing Request Status

  1. Select Datasets from the Navigation Menu on the left.
  2. Navigate to the Cohorts tab.
  3. Your submitted requests will be listed with their current status.

The following statuses may be displayed:

Status Description
Pending Approval The request has been submitted and is awaiting review by the Data Access Committee.
Approved The request has been reviewed and approved. You now have access to the dataset or cohort.
Rejected The request has been declined by the Data Access Committee.

Cohort requests showing Pending Approval status

Refreshing the Request Status

To check for status updates after the Data Access Committee has reviewed your request:

  1. Click the Refresh icon in the top-right corner of the Cohorts screen.
  2. The status labels will update to reflect any changes (e.g., from Pending Approval to Approved).

Cohort requests showing Approved status

Using My Requests

For a consolidated view of all your pending and completed requests (including dataset access, workstation provisioning, file uploads, and file downloads):

  1. Select My Requests from the Navigation Menu on the left.
  2. Use the available filters to narrow results by Status, Type, or Date.
  3. Use the Search bar to locate a specific request by name or keyword.

For more information on tracking requests, see the Tracking Requests documentation.

What Happens After Approval

Once your access request is approved:

  • For entire datasets — The dataset will appear under the Cohorts tab with an Approved status label. Clicking on it opens the full Cohort Dashboard, including aggregate statistics, visualisations, and access to the Person Table, Specimen Table, and associated dashboards. See Building a Cohort — Exploring Approved Cohort Dashboards for details.

  • For custom cohorts — The cohort will appear under the Cohorts tab with an Approved status label. You will have access to de-identified, person-level data stored as OMOP CDM-standardised tables, enabling immediate analysis.

What's Next

Once your data access has been approved: