National Coordinating Centre (NCC)

The collection of social, psychological, and biophysical data from tens of thousands of participants over twenty years or more presents a significant challenge. The challenge is magnified by the need to carry out the study nationally in geographically distributed sites across the country, and by the diversity of data to be collected in a standardized way while ensuring quality control. The overall management of this logistical challenge falls under the mandate of the NCC, to be located at McMaster University (MAC)(Dr. Raina, Director). It will housed at McMaster University, in the McMaster Innovation Park. The NCC will manage the identification and recruitment of CLSA participants, lead data collection operations, develop the standard operating procedures and protocols, provide staff training and documentation for the DCS, and will play a central role in data management and coordinating data analysis and research tasks.

The NCC will be the first destination for data captured at the 11 DCS and the CATI centres, will be responsible for data checks and will maintain close contact with data capture personnel to resolve data queries and modify procedures as appropriate. Throughout the lifetime of the CLSA, NCC staff responsibilities will include ongoing maintenance of standard operating procedures, standardized training and upgrading of research personnel, and coordination of ethics submissions across the country. The daily activities of the NCC personnel include interacting with staff at the Data Collection Sites for training, operations and procedural support for all aspects of recruitment, data collection, data validation and final data transfer to the SAC. NCC staff will include the CLSA national coordinator, a communications officer, a financial manager, researchers, a data operations manager and staff, data coordinators, research assistants, and senior staff (i.e. with survey design, medical technology expertise etc.) to train data collectors and technicians at each DCS.

The mandate of the NCC will also include a scientific agenda leading the development and conduct of methodological research over the course of the CLSA targeted to improving the design of, data capture in, and the analysis of data from, longitudinal studies.