diff --git a/dashboard/sharedComponents/sidebar/layout.service.ts b/dashboard/sharedComponents/sidebar/layout.service.ts
index 4d753d0a..e814083f 100644
--- a/dashboard/sharedComponents/sidebar/layout.service.ts
+++ b/dashboard/sharedComponents/sidebar/layout.service.ts
@@ -26,11 +26,14 @@ export class LayoutService {
    *  Add hasAdminMenu: true on data of route config, if global sidebar should be used.
    */
   private _hasAdminMenuSubject: BehaviorSubject<boolean> = new BehaviorSubject<boolean>(false);
+  private _hasMiniMenuSubject: BehaviorSubject<boolean> = new BehaviorSubject<boolean>(false);
+  private _isFrontPageSubject: BehaviorSubject<boolean> = new BehaviorSubject<boolean>(false);
 
   constructor(private router: Router) {
     this.router.events.subscribe(event => {
       if (event instanceof ActivationStart) {
         let data = event.snapshot.data;
+        console.debug(data)
         if (data['hasSidebar'] !== undefined &&
           data['hasSidebar'] === false) {
           this.setHasSidebar(false);
@@ -49,6 +52,18 @@ export class LayoutService {
         } else {
           this.setHasAdminMenu(false);
         }
+        if (data['hasMiniMenu'] !== undefined &&
+          data['hasMiniMenu'] === true) {
+          this.setHasMiniMenu(true);
+        } else {
+          this.setHasMiniMenu(false);
+        }
+        if (data['isFrontPage'] !== undefined &&
+          data['isFrontPage'] === true) {
+          this.setFrontPage(true);
+        } else {
+          this.setFrontPage(false);
+        }
       }
     });
   }
@@ -85,4 +100,19 @@ export class LayoutService {
   setHasAdminMenu(value: boolean) {
     this._hasAdminMenuSubject.next(value);
   }
+
+  get hasMiniMenu(): Observable<boolean> {
+    return this._hasMiniMenuSubject.asObservable();
+  }
+
+  setHasMiniMenu(value: boolean) {
+    this._hasMiniMenuSubject.next(value);
+  }
+  get isFrontPage(): Observable<boolean> {
+    return this._isFrontPageSubject.asObservable();
+  }
+
+  setFrontPage(value: boolean) {
+    this._isFrontPageSubject.next(value);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/dashboard/sharedComponents/sidebar/sideBar.component.html b/dashboard/sharedComponents/sidebar/sideBar.component.html
index 6f8797b4..e19b3e38 100644
--- a/dashboard/sharedComponents/sidebar/sideBar.component.html
+++ b/dashboard/sharedComponents/sidebar/sideBar.component.html
@@ -1,16 +1,12 @@
 <aside id="sidebar_main">
   <div *ngIf= "showHeader" class="sidebar_main_header uk-text-center">
-    <img class="badge "
-         src="assets/theme-assets/prototype_flag.svg"
-         alt="BETA">
-    <img *ngIf="headerLogoUrl" class="logo" [src]="headerLogoUrl">
-    <div *ngIf="headerDashboard || headerName" class="logo">
-      <div class="uk-text-bold uk-margin-top">{{headerName}}</div>
-      <div>{{headerDashboard}}</div>
-    </div>
+    <img *ngIf="headerLogoUrl" class="logo " [src]="headerLogoUrl">
+    <div *ngIf="!headerLogoUrl" class="portalLogo logo" ></div>
   </div>
   <div class="menu_section uk-margin-top">
     <ul>
+      <li *ngIf="headerName"><a
+        class="uk-disabled"><span class="menu_title uk-text-muted uk-text-uppercase">{{headerName}}</span></a></li>
       <ng-template ngFor [ngForOf]="items" let-item let-i="index">
         <li [class.current_section]="isTheActiveMenuItem(item)"
             [class.act_section]="item.open"
@@ -39,5 +35,14 @@
         </li>
       </ng-template>
     </ul>
+    <ng-template [ngIf]="showSearch">
+      <hr>
+      <ul>
+        <li title="This functionality is comming soon. Stay tuned!"><a
+          class="uk-disabled">
+          <span  class="menu_icon"><i class="material-icons">search</i></span>
+          <span class="menu_title uk-text-muted ">Search for Research Results</span></a></li>
+      </ul>
+    </ng-template>
   </div>
 </aside>
diff --git a/dashboard/sharedComponents/sidebar/sideBar.component.ts b/dashboard/sharedComponents/sidebar/sideBar.component.ts
index aea9b634..086e4c2f 100644
--- a/dashboard/sharedComponents/sidebar/sideBar.component.ts
+++ b/dashboard/sharedComponents/sidebar/sideBar.component.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import {Component, Input, OnInit} from '@angular/core';
+import { Component, Input, OnInit} from '@angular/core';
 import {MenuItem} from "../../../sharedComponents/menu";
 import {Router} from "@angular/router";
 
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ export class SideBarComponent implements OnInit {
   @Input() showHeader: boolean = true;
   @Input() activeItem: string = '';
   @Input() activeSubItem: string = '';
+  @Input() showSearch = false;
 
   constructor(private router: Router) {}
 
diff --git a/sharedComponents/menu.ts b/sharedComponents/menu.ts
index d47d3923..26678a71 100644
--- a/sharedComponents/menu.ts
+++ b/sharedComponents/menu.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ export class MenuItem {
   icon: string;
   open: boolean;
 
-  constructor(id: string, title: string, url: string, route: string, needsAuthorization: boolean, entitiesRequired: string[], routeRequired: string[], params) {
+  constructor(id: string, title: string, url: string, route: string, needsAuthorization: boolean, entitiesRequired: string[], routeRequired: string[], params, icon=null) {
     this.id = id;
     this.title = title;
     this.url = url;
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ export class MenuItem {
     this.params = params;
     this.markAsActive = true;
     this.items = [];
+    this.icon = icon;
   }
 
   public setMarkAsActive(showActive: boolean) {