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Web Research and data harvesting for biology core labs
Open
Date Posted:September 15, 2008
Planned Start Date:September 17, 2008
Type:Hourly
Main Category:Administrative Support
Sub Category:Web Research
Skills: Microsoft office
Estimated Workload:As needed - Less than 10 hrs/week
Estimated Duration:Less than 1 week
Last Buyer Activity:October 7, 2008
Candidates: 9 - average $5.05/hr
Interviews: none
 
In Progress
Start Date:September 16, 2008
Hourly Rate:$5.56
Last Date Worked:October 6, 2008
Hired Provider: Sayed J.
Hours Worked:28
Offline Hours:5%
Bonuses: none
Refunds: none
Completed
End Date:October 7, 2008
Feedback to Provider: 2.10
Feedback to Buyer: none
 
Preferred Qualifications
English skill:above 4
oDesk Hours:at least 1 hours
Feedback score:above 4
 
Buyer Facts
Member Since:September 15, 2008
Country:United States (GMT-05)
City: 
Jobs Posted:12
Jobs Filled:7
Jobs Not Yet Filled:1
Current Team size:0
Hours billed, last 30 days:0
Total oDesk Hours:259.00
Feedback Score: 5.00 (3)
 
 

Feedback from Buyer:

  2.1
Cooperation:   2.0
User has made this comment private.

Feedback from Provider:

No feedback given.

The Goal: find the names and complete contact information for researchers in key core laboratories with a sequencing service, for subsequent marketing and mailing efforts.   Contacts must be in Mid Atlantic or Southeastern US, as defined below
 
All contacts must be within the designated target region defined below.
If you are comfortable with the directions I have provided, I request that you spend up to 4 hours gathering contacts and seeing that they are put into the spreadsheet in the appropriate format.   I will review results and we will discuss continued work.
 Please confirm that you can take on this assignment, and estimate completion date.
Please review this thoroughly and be sure that you understand it completely before beginning any work. 
 
Please confirm that you understand this assignment and ask questions if you require additional clarification from me.
 
Background:
Most Academic and non-profit biology research institutions also have a small focused group dedicated to a certain “core” function. Core labs are usually laboratories that handle some central function for a wider group of researchers. Commonly a biology research institution, such as a university department will also have a so called “core lab” or group of core labs to handle certain tasks, such as sequencing or microarray. Some of these will have other functions such as proteomics, genomics, genetics, FACS, bioinformatics etc. 
These labs are run as businesses within the university in that they perform a service for other labs usually on a fee for service basis. The aim of this project is to review all of the major universities, research institutions and research hospitals that fall within the geographic territory, described below, and then identify their various core laboratories. You will see that within a wider university, that certain departments will be doing biology, molecular biology and biomedical research that often require this type of core facility. Try to retrieve relevant contact information for laboratory personnel as described below.
 
Find the university/find the right lab:
The key types of laboratories we are to target are “micro array” and “sequencing” core labs, or next generation sequencing NGS labs. You will find many other types of Core labs that do not have the key functions, please exclude these from your data mining. Sometimes a given lab will have multiple functions, and may go by another name such as molecular biology core. If you are uncertain, you will have to visit the links within a page and drill down to some of the specifics. From there you should be able to find out if they are using microarrays or sequencing technologies.    
 
 
Example:
In Pennsylvania we have Penn State University. If we do a search we come to the main pages for the Penn State campuses. If select the Hershey site for the college of medicine. Within that page is a directory for “core research facilities” see: http://www.hmc.psu.edu/core/dna/index.htm
If you scan these you see a link that looks relevant for sequencing, at: http://www.hmc.psu.edu/core/dna/index.htm
This clearly shows sequencing as one of its main features. You then would navigate to the contact link for that particular site and harvest the contacts, see: http://www.hmc.psu.edu/core/dna/team.htm
 
Another example, Virginia commonwealth university. You can their core lab page, http://www.narf.vcu.edu/dna.html and determine that they handle the correct application (sequencing). If you scroll down you will see that the contacts name is Yingping Wang, and others under the “people” link. In this case there are two contacts, one for microarray and the other for sequencing. If you cannot locate and idenfitfy the specific adderesses with mail stops for each of the two, you would retrieve the numbers and address from the home page for the homepage at: http://www.narf.vcu.edu/index.html
 
Another  way to search for these is with a Google search that combines combinations of literals and quotes and keywords such as sequencing: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22core+lab%22+sequencing+&btnG=Search
 
Other points:
  • Do not spend time harvesting contacts that fall outside of the geographic area, or from neighboring department
  • Be sure to only retrieve contacts in the appropriate labs, that have the correct focus
  • I would like to have the data in a format more compatible to import into outlook, or use with a Microsoft word email blast and mail merge
  • Be sure to format the address filed so that it may used directly for the printing of labels (do not extraneous text or comments here)
  • Please be sure to preserve the row and column structure, and avoid leaving blank columns or empty rows. For example, if an individual does not have complete individual contact information, use the address for his department, or the main phone for his department.   The idea is to capture complete data that is as accurate as you can.  
  • Capture the information in a spreadsheet, but be sure to label the column headers, and compile all data in a single sheet.   
  • Please be sure to collect specific details from any individual web profiles and other sources. As before, this should include mailing address including specific mailstop or PO box if applicable, name of university and name of department. 
  • Capture email addresses and include a separate field for homepage or profile page, relevant phone numbers.
  • I would like to also get their role or title, so that I can avoid graduate students and lab technicians; Do not retrieve data for students, post docs or administrative personnel.
  • Please remove duplicate contacts
  • Please retrieve data from professors, managers, directors or the equivalent.
  • It is okay to have multiple contacts harvested from the same department and university, this is to be expected. If there are a very large number within the same department, then choose the more senior or prominent contacts
 
Target region/Geographic areas: Mid Atlantic and southeastern United States:
DC=Washington DC (district of Columbia)
MD= Maryland
NJ= New Jersey
PA= Pennsylvania
DE= Delaware
WV= West Virginia
VA= Virginia
KY= Kentucky
TN= Tennessee
NC= North Carolina
SC= South Carolina
GA= Georgia
FL= Florida
LA= Louisiana
AL= Alabama
MS= Mississippi
 

Buyer's Assignment History
Provider From/To Job Title Billed Feedback
89585 01/2009 - 03/2009 Appointment making /sales for biotechnology prospects $415
258203 02/2009 - 03/2009 Senior Copywriter, Editor and researcher $179
168152 11/2008 - 01/2009 Publishing consultation $667
124089 10/2008 - 11/2008 Online research and contact gathering for core facilities $499
139172 09/2008 - 10/2008 Web Research and data harvesting for biology core labs $156
124740 10/2008 - 10/2008 Online research, spreadsheet data reduction, Life Sciences contacts $44
140123 10/2008 - 10/2008 Online research and contact gathering for core facilities $226

Candidate List
Title Name Initiated By Date
Internet Researcher - Data Entry - Blog Poster - Directory Submission Dow M. Provider September 15, 2008
* Adwords Marketing manager in California Susan S. Provider September 16, 2008
█1300+ODESK HOURS OF RESEARCH█MARKET RESEARCH█ODESK RECRUITER█ENGINEER Joby John Provider September 16, 2008
Data Entry Professional and Researcher Marcia C. Provider September 16, 2008
Virtual Assistant/E-Commerce Product Management, Web Development Vanita W. Provider September 16, 2008
SEO, data encoder & web researcher/Reliable Personal Assistant Alicia G. Provider September 16, 2008
Senior Currency Strategist and SMM expert on SentiMen Capitals Sayed J. Provider September 16, 2008
Dedicated administrative supporter Deepa S. Provider September 16, 2008
WRITE/TYPE/DATA ENTRY/MARKETING/ADMIN TASKS Emma V. Provider September 16, 2008