Data Security & Confidentiality

Confidential research and unpublished findings

We treat client-supplied research data, study details and unpublished findings as confidential. We use them to assess and carry out the agreed project, communicate results and meet the associated administrative requirements.

We do not publish client datasets or use identifiable project findings in marketing without permission. Any sharing needed for the work is limited to the agreed purpose and authorised recipients.

Access and handling

Project access should be limited to the people and service providers needed for the agreed work. During setup, we confirm the intended storage and processing arrangements, any collaborators and any restrictions on data location or sharing.

Please tell us about institutional requirements or sensitive data before transfer. Do not put raw datasets, passwords, patient identifiers or other sensitive personal information in the public enquiry forms. Health-associated research data should be appropriately de-identified and authorised for the proposed use.

The website uses HTTPS and server-side enquiry processing. Transfer and storage arrangements for research datasets are agreed separately for each project.

Data transfer, storage & retention

Contact us first with file types, approximate size and any handling restrictions. We then agree an appropriate transfer method, such as an access-restricted file-sharing location or a client-provided institutional repository. The Project Enquiry form accepts small reports and reference documents; large sequencing datasets use the separately agreed transfer method.

Storage locations, working copies and access permissions are defined for the project. Share only the files and metadata needed for the analysis, and retain an independent copy of your original data.

Retention periods and deletion requirements are agreed during project setup, before data transfer. They depend on the dataset and any institutional requirements.

At project closure, we confirm delivery and address the agreed retention or deletion of working copies. We explain any limits or delays affecting backups, provider-held copies or records that must be retained.

Confidentiality agreements and ownership

An NDA or project-specific confidentiality agreement can be discussed and agreed before data transfer. Please share any institutional requirements at the start.

Clients retain ownership of their supplied data. Deliverable use, intellectual property and any publication or acknowledgement arrangements are set out in the agreed project scope. BiomeLens does not acquire publication rights simply by analysing a dataset.