Basic Sciences RCR Boilerplate Text

Responsible Conduct of Research in Basic Sciences

UCSF Program Lead: Chequeta Allen, Assistant Dean for Postdoctoral Scholars
E-mail: [email protected]

Course Description: The purpose of this course is to ensure that basic sciences researchers are well versed with respect to training in responsible conduct in research (RCR). Attendees also gain an understanding of federal, state, and UCSF policies and resources available to further support their research endeavors.

UCSF Lecturers:

UCSF Faculty Discussion Section Leaders:

Required Materials and Format: Pre-Reading and Course content in the UCSF CLE for access in advance of each lecture and breakout discussion group. Attendance and engagement are required and will be monitored.  Attendance in all lectures and breakouts is required and participation in in-class activities is expected to be 75% or higher.  Postdocs/students are required to be respectful to peers and faculty in expressing their in-class or online views and comments in response to questions and topics posed. Postdocs and students are required to complete assigned readings in advance before each lecture.  Postdocs and students are required to participate in any Zoom lectures or breakout discussion groups with cameras on and focused on session content. If a scheduled lecture or breakout discussion group is missed for any reason such as an emergency or failure to plan, the postdoc or student should speak to the Assistant Dean about whether a make-up session is permitted to continue in the course.

Course Description: The purpose of this course is to ensure that postdoctoral research trainees are well versed with respect to training in responsible conduct of research (RCR).  Attendees also gain an understanding of federal, state, and UCSF policies and resources available to further support their research endeavors.

Methods of Instruction:

  • Course meetings include lectures, case studies, and group discussions.
  • Discussion section meetings include case studies and interactive group discussions in smaller groups based on prompts provided by each faculty lecturer.

Learning Outcomes: In this course – Scholars will:

  • Learn and share best practices for promoting rigor and reproducibility in research, authorship, and publication, racism in science, and optimal behaviors in mentorship through varied peer engagement activities.
  • Discover and practice recommended strategies for promoting diverse and inclusive research communities free of racism, microaggressions, and non-inclusive behaviors.
  • Discuss and analyze current ethical research topics surrounding human subjects and animals.
  • Review current data management tools and learn best practices for data management along with an understanding of new federal data sharing requirements.
  • Learn to identify potential conflicts of interest and how to report and manage them.
  • Become familiar with important concepts and reporting requirements for research security, including export controls, dual-use research, foreign influence, and data security on shared drives and devices.
  • Employ strategies to avoid authorship disputes and questionable publication practices.
  • Understand the importance of peer review and generate responsible peer reviews.

Session 1: Rigor and Reproducibility in Research: Are We in Crisis?

  • Types of Scientific Research at UCSF & Societal Expectations of U.S. Scientists
  • Rigor and Reproducibility in Research based on the Harvard Radcliffe study on the Reproducibility Crisis
  • Factors Affecting Reproducibility
  • What Good Looks Like - Best Practices in Rigor and Reproducibility
  • Beyond History and Analytics - What’s in Today’s Tool Bag?

Session 2: Responsible and Ethical Research - Misconduct and Social Responsibility

  • New Guidance on Foreign Influence and Research Security
  • Addressing questionable research practices
  • Contemporary Ethical Issues - Overview & Importance of Addressing Conflicts
  • Effective Collaboration Practices & Authorship
  • Social and Environmental Impacts of Research

Session 3: Responsible Data Management

  • Best Practices in Data Management - Qualitative and Quantitative
  • New Federal Sharing Requirements
  • Developing a Data Management Plan (DMP)
  • Open AI, Generative AI, Data Manipulation and Plagiarism
  • Data transparency information from Nature and Cell Press journals (refer to comprehensive checklists))
  • Data Sharing during PI Transitions
  • Getting to Know UCSF & Other Resources

Session 4: Human Subjects Research and Laboratory Animals

  • Human subjects research-- COVID-19 Vaccines and CRISPR therapies
  • Informed consent monitoring
  • Protection of laboratory animals and the role of postdocs in animal welfare
  • Approved lab researchers and IACUC protocols
  • Policies and best practices on laboratory safety, biosafety, and animal research subjects

Session 5: Authorship, Publication, and Peer Review

  • Best Practices in Authorship and Publication - What Impact Can You Have with Peers?
  • Ethics and Ownership of Discoveries
  • New Guidance on Text Recycling
  • Practicing Responsible Peer Review and Becoming a Reviewer
  • Open AI, Generative AI and Plagiarism

Session 6: Racism in Science

  • Racism & Discrimination in Science - the History & Impact
  • Developing Inclusive Research Communities
  • Creating Inclusive Lab Environments
  • How Inclusive Communities Thrive
  • Collaborating Across Cultural Barriers

Session 7: Ethical Behavior in Mentoring Research Trainees - What to Expect

  • Appropriate Mentoring and Lab Relationships Between PIs and Postdocs
  • Strategies for Having Difficult Conversations
  • Resolving Conflicts and Communicating with Impact
  • Mentor/Mentee Responsibilities and Relationships
  • Mentoring Frameworks and Self-Advocacy

Session 8: UCSF Ethics and Compliance, Conflicts of Interest (COI)

  • Understand UCSF COI requirements for Postdocs UPAY585 - personal, professional, financial
  • Postdoc Outside Professional Activity at UCSF
  • Building a Career-Long Positive Attitude toward Research Ethics
  • Reporting UCSF Conflicts of Interest

Offered to UCSF researchers who conduct basic (non-human subjects) research, Basic Sciences RCR is an eight-session course designed to satisfy NIH and NSF requirements for training in the responsible conduct of research. The course utilizes a combination of faculty presentations and in-person case study discussions to address contemporary debates at the interface between biomedical science and society. Basic Sciences RCR is offered once a year during the winter quarter, meeting weekly for eight weeks. Registration for the course is now open. In addition to in-person lectures and discussion groups, learners will also be given access to additional resources in the UCSF CLE and are able to participate in an online ethics forum. The online ethics forum provides a way for learners to continue class discussions; ask questions of course faculty and peers; post relevant articles, resources, and case studies; share their own experiences; and voice their concerns and opinions. The website is password-protected, and all comments remain confidential.

In accordance with NIH requirements, trainees who have been at UCSF longer than four years will have an opportunity to retake the Basic Science RCR course. Attendance at all sessions is required to receive a certificate or course completion letter.