How to create a JoVE Lab?

This article shows you how to create a lab, build modules, and invite trainees.

Overview

You can create a lab in two ways: from published articles, or by typing in the research methods. AI pulls the methods and matches those methods to videos in the JoVE library. AI groups the videos into modules and writes a quiz for each module. You can edit a module until a trainee joins.

Roles

Trainer
You create the lab, build modules, invite trainees and track trainee progress.

Co-trainer
You can do everything a trainer does. Join through an email invitation or a shared link.

Trainee
Completes the videos and quiz. Cannot edit a module.

Creating a lab

1. Opening JoVE Labs

Open JoVE Labs from the left panel.
On a first visit, you will see Create your first lab. Click Get Started.

JoVE Labs before any lab exists — You will see this on a first visit.

2. Identifying the research

AI searches for articles published under the researcher's name and institution.
If none are found, you enter one input: name with institution, ORCID iD, PubMed author link, OpenAlex author link, or DOI. Each option is in Finding a researcher.
Enter one of those inputs, then click Find articles.

The article lookup field — First screen of this flow. No lab is created at this stage.

3. Selecting the papers

You will see the matching articles, most cited first.
Select the papers the lab should be based on, then click Continue.

Article results, selectable — The selected papers determine the lab content.

4. Reviewing lab details

You will see a lab name, a description, and the methods listed as labels. AI writes these.
If a method is not relevant, click the cross (X) next to that method.
Click Edit to change any other detail, then click Next.

Lab details and methods listed as labels — Second screen of this flow.

5. Confirming the modules

You will see each proposed module with the methods in that module.
Uncheck a module to leave that module out.
Click the pencil to edit a module.
Click Create Modules to create the lab and open the lab page.

Ready to create modules — Last screen of this flow.

Building the modules

You can edit a module until a trainee joins it. Once a trainee joins, further editing is blocked.

1. Viewing the lab page

You will see three tabs: Modules, Co-trainers and Trainee details.
Under Modules, each card lists the video count and the quiz count, with Invite Trainees and Edit below the card.
Click the pencil at the top right, next to Delete lab, to edit the lab name and description. Create New Module adds a module.

The lab page with module cards, each showing Invite Trainees and Edit, and a Create New Module card — The lab page after creation.

2. Editing a module

Click Edit on a module card. You will see five tabs: General, Concept Videos, Experiment Videos, Documents and Quizzes.
The General tab includes the module name, description, research methods and due date. The due date is the date by which trainees are expected to complete the module.
You can add or remove methods.
Click Save Changes at the top right once editing is done, from any tab.

The Editing Module screen on the General tab with name, description, methods and due date — The General tab. The due date is set per module.

3. Adding videos

On the Concept Videos tab, click Add New Concept Video. The Experiment Videos tab works the same way.
Search videos by title, or click Curate With AI and AI suggests videos matched to the module's methods.
Check the videos to add. Each one gets the New Added tag on the list.

The Concept Videos tab with the Add New Concept Video option and the current videos — The Concept Videos tab of a module.

The Select Videos screen with a title search returning matching videos — Searching videos by title.

The Select Videos screen with a title search field and Curate With AI showing AI curated suggestions — Curate With AI suggests videos based on the module's methods.

The Concept Videos tab with the newly added video tagged New Added — An added video gets the New Added tag.

4. Adding documents

On the Documents tab, paste a link to an online document and click Fetch Document, or click Upload File for a file on your computer.
Add SOPs, protocols and other reading material. Each document lists a reading time.

The Documents tab with a URL field, Fetch Document button and Upload File option — Fetch an online document or upload one.

5. Editing the quiz

On the Quizzes tab, click the pencil on a quiz to edit its questions, answers and question types.
Generate With AI adds questions to the quiz being edited.
Click Save on the quiz, then Save Changes.

The quiz editor with a question list, answer options and Generate With AI — Editing a quiz. Generate With AI adds questions.

The quiz panel while questions are being generated — Generating questions.

6. Adding a new quiz

Click Add New Quiz and enter a name. Generate With AI writes fresh questions that do not repeat the existing quiz.
To write a question by hand, click Add Question. To pick ready-made questions, click Choose from our quiz library.

Adding a new quiz with Generate With AI, Add Question and Choose from our quiz library — A second quiz, generated or written by hand.

7. Creating a new module

Click Create New Module on the lab page. Enter the module name, description, research methods and due date, then click Create Now.
AI finds the videos for those methods and writes the quiz. Generating quizzes stays on the card until AI finishes.

The Create New Module dialog with name, description, methods, due date and Create Now — A new module from a name and its methods.

The new module card showing Generating quizzes on the lab page — **Generating quizzes** stays on the card until AI finishes.

Inviting trainees and tracking progress

Inviting locks the module
Once a trainee joins, you can no longer edit the module or the due date. Finish building first.

1. Inviting trainees

Click Invite Trainees on a module card. Each invitation covers one module.
Copy the join link, or enter email addresses and click Send Invites.
The invite dialog lists the module due date. Edit Due Date changes the due date until a trainee joins.
You will be notified when a trainee joins the lab.

The Invite trainees dialog with a join link, Copy button, email field and Send Invites — Invite with the link or by email.

The confirmation dialog after sending invites — The confirmation after sending invitations.

2. Tracking progress

You will see every trainee with status and assigned modules.
Click View Progress to expand per-module completion, including the completion date.
Export CSV downloads the table.

The Trainee details tab with a trainee row, per-module progress bars and Export CSV — Per-trainee, per-module progress.

The expanded progress list with every module, its percentage and a completion date — Expanded progress, including completion dates.

Finding a researcher

Use these if you need a different way to find the researcher in step 2.

Name and institution

Include the institution. A name alone can match several researchers. Multiple papers

ORCID iD

Paste the ORCID iD to get every article on that record. Multiple papers

PubMed author link

The address of the author's PubMed page. Multiple papers

OpenAlex author link

Same as the PubMed author link. Multiple papers

DOI

A DOI adds one article. Further papers cannot be added after that. 1 article

Through PubMed

Open any paper by the researcher. The author names below the title are links.

A PubMed article with author names below the title — Author names on a PubMed article.

Click the author's name and PubMed opens the author's papers. Copy the address of this page from the browser and paste that address into step 2.

PubMed results for one author — The author page. Copy this address.

Author link
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Conejo-Garcia+JR&cauthor_id=31355777

Article link, returns 1 paper
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31355777/

The step 2 lookup field with the PubMed author link pasted and Find articles enabled — The author link pasted into step 2.

Back to step 2

Through ORCID

Open the researcher's ORCID record. Copy the 16-digit iD under the name and paste that iD into step 2.

An ORCID record page — An ORCID record, with the iD under the name.

Back to step 2

Through OpenAlex

Open the researcher's OpenAlex author page. Copy the page address and paste that address into step 2.

Back to step 2

Without a paper

Run a search, then run a second one. After the second empty search, you click Create lab manually.

The lookup screen after a second empty search, showing the Create lab manually button — **Create lab manually** after the second empty search.

Click Create lab manually, enter the research methods to be taught, and continue. AI builds the lab from those methods.

The manual creation form where research methods are entered — The manual creation form.

Back to step 2

Reference

Who can create a lab

Any account except a student account.

Published articles

Not required. You can build a lab manually from research methods.

Paper order

AI lists matching articles with the most cited first.

Visibility

Only you can see a new lab until a trainee is invited.

Due date

The date by which trainees are expected to complete the module. Set per module. Editable until a trainee joins, including from the invite dialog.

Pass mark

The score a trainee must reach to complete a module. The quiz page lists the pass mark.

After videos are added, save so the quiz updates

Click Save once changes to a module are complete.

Co-trainer permissions

Identical to a trainer, including inviting trainees.