Registration is now open.
The 2026-2027 Basic Sciences Responsible Conduct of Research Course (RCR) is open for registration. The course will be delivered at two locations this fall at Parnassus beginning Wednesday, September 30, 2026, and at Mission Bay beginning Wednesday, January 13, 2027.
Lecture and Discussion Group course content will be delivered by UCSF Faculty members in-person for the first five weeks at each location, followed by three remaining 90-minute Zoom sessions.
In-person Faculty-led sessions will include a one-hour lecture on Wednesdays from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., followed by a Faculty-facilitated breakout discussion group from 3:40 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Please review the times listed below and mark your calendars to protect them. All attending postdocs and 4th and 5th-year assigned graduate students must register to enroll. When you register, you will receive a calendar invitation.
If you are a Postdoc approved to work via a UCSF telework agreement, please contact the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs in advance of registration.
2026-27 Course Schedule
Parnassus RCR-PS Schedule
Lectures In-Person
Wed, 09/30/26 2:30-3:30 pm
Wed, 10/07/26 2:30-3:30 pm
Wed, 10/14/26 2:30-3:30 pm
Wed, 10/21/26 2:30-3:30 pm
Wed, 10/28/26 2:30-3:30 pm
Wed, 11/4/26 2:30 -4:45 pm Zoom
Wed, 11/18/26 2:30-4:45 pm Zoom
Wed, 12/2/26 2:30-4:45 pm Zoom
Discussion Groups In-Person
Wed, 09/30/26 3:40-4:45 pm
Wed, 10/07/26 3:40-4:45 pm
Wed, 10/14/26 3:40-4:45 pm
Wed, 10/21/26 3:40-4:45 pm
Wed, 10/28/26 3:40-4:45 pm
Mission Bay RCR-PS Schedule
Lectures In-Person
Wed, 01/13/27 2:30-3:30 pm
Wed, 01/20/27 2:30-3:30 pm
Wed, 01/27/27 2:30-3:30 pm
Wed, 02/03/27 2:30-3:30 pm
Wed, 02/10/27 2:30-3:30 pm
Wed, 02/17/27 2:30 -4:45 pm Zoom
Wed, 02/24/27 2:30-4:45 pm Zoom
Wed, 03/03/27 2:30-4:45 pm Zoom
Discussion Groups In-Person
Wed, 01/13/27 3:40-4:45 pm
Wed, 01/20/27 3:40-4:45 pm
Wed, 01/27/27 3:40-4:45 pm
Wed, 02/03/27 3:40-4:45 pm
Wed, 02/10/27 3:40-4:45 pm
Basic Sciences Responsible Conduct of Research Postdoctoral Scholar Course
Course Description
The purpose of this course is to ensure that basic sciences scholar researchers are well versed with respect to training in responsible conduct of research (RCR). Attendees also gain an understanding of emerging research topics and 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 facilitated by faculty include case studies, role plays, quizzes and interactive group discussions in smaller groups.
Discussion Topics Schedule
Session 1: Transparency from Data to Trust: Responsible Research in the Modern Era (Rigor and Reproducibility)
- 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, Peer Review and AI Ethics in Research Publication
- 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
- Bias
Session 6: Anti-Racism in Science, Health, and Research
- Racism in Science - the History & Impact
- Research Ethics Through an Equity Lens
- Anti-Racism Principles and Examples
- Anti-Racism in Research at the UCSF Office of Research
Session 7: UCSF Postdoc Trainee Ethics and Compliance Conflicts of Interest
- Understand UCSF COI requirements for Postdocs (staff) - personal, professional, financial
- Postdoc Outside Professional Activity at UCSF
- Building a Career-Long Positive Attitude toward Research Ethics
- Reporting UCSF Conflicts of Interest
Session 8: Ethical Behavior in Mentoring Research Trainees
- 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
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 twice a year during the fall and 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 have access to additional resources made available via the Canvas Learning Management System. Learners will also be able to participate in online discussion groups and engage with UCSF conflict of interest and ethics leaders through their response to prompts. The discussion groups offer 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 Canvas class portal is accessible via UCSF MyAccess, is password-protected, and all comments in Canvas remain confidential.
The UCSF Basic Sciences Responsible Conduct of Research Program is designed to satisfy NIH and NSF requirements for training in the responsible conduct of research for postdoctoral scholars and faculty at all career levels.
The course is offered in-person at Parnassus in the Fall Quarter and at Mission Bay in the Winter Quarter.
Excused Absences for research conferences or day-of-session health concerns must be requested in advance of the session for makeup instructions.
Attendance at all sessions is required to receive a certificate or course completion letter.
NIH Requirements
In general, NIH requires RCR training every four years and at each stage of training (graduate, postdoc, early faculty, etc). Basic Sciences RCR is a necessary, but not always sufficient, component of training in responsible conduct of research. Please be sure to contact your funding agency to inquire about additional requirements beyond those provided in Basic Sciences RCR.
For Postdocs Applying to an NIH Fellowship (e.g., F or K awards)
A plan for instruction in RCR is required of all Fellowship applicants. The Basic Sciences RCR or Human Subjects RCR course is a key component of this requirement and may be supplemented by lectures, panel discussions, or colloquia providing refreshers on topics of specific ethical concern in the trainees’ field not covered by UCSF RCR courses. See the Training Program Faculty & Admin page for sample grant text on UCSF RCR offerings.
If your research involves human subjects or data derived from human subjects, please go to the Human Subjects RCR page for more information.
Basic Sciences RCR Current Contact
Dr. Chequeta Allen
[email protected]
Assistant Dean for Postdoctoral Affairs
Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs