Basic Sciences RCR

Get Ready: Registration is Now Open for Postdoc Basic Sciences Responsible Conduct of Research Course - Winter 2025.

The 2025 Basic Sciences Responsible Conduct of Research Course (RCR) is changing. The course will be delivered in Mission Bay, and each session will include a lecture followed by a breakout session offered every Wednesday, 2:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m., from January 15, 2025, through March 5, 2025. Mark your calendars to hold this time. When you register, you will receive a calendar invitation.

Both lectures and breakouts for sessions one through five will be delivered in person by UCSF faculty members. The final three lectures will be delivered by UCSF faculty and UCSF Unit leaders via Zoom from 2:30 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. If you are a Postdoc approved to work via a UCSF telework agreement, please contact the Office for Postdoctoral Scholars in advance of registration.

The information on this page is for UCSF researchers engaged in basic sciences research seeking to meet the NIH requirements for training in responsible conduct in research. If your research involves human subjects or data derived from human subjects, please go to the Human Subjects RCR page.

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 Basic Sciences RCR Course utilizes a combination of in-person lectures, case studies, and faculty-facilitated discussions.

Basic Sciences Responsible Conduct of Research Course

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.

Methods of Instruction:

Course meetings include lectures, case studies, and group discussions.
Discussion section meetings facilitated by faculty include case studies and interactive group discussions in smaller groups.

Discussion Topics Schedule

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 shown in this video
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: 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: 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

Session 8: UCSF Postdoc Trainee Ethics and Compliance Conflicts of Interest

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.

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.

Is Basic Sciences RCR for me? Am I eligible and required to take the course?

Am I eligible to take Basic Sciences RCR? This class is open to all UCSF faculty and postdoctoral trainees who’s research is primarily wet lab based or computational using non-human subjects derived data. 5^th year graduate students who need to take an RCR refresher course are also eligible, but should enroll in the RCR course that best fits their research agenda. If you have questions about your eligibility, please email the program coordinator at [email protected].

Am I required to take Basic Sciences RCR? The NIH, NSF, and other federal funders require all funded trainees to take Responsible Conduct of Research at least every four years and at least once per career level. This applies to all levels of training grants (e.g. T32 for postdoctoral scholars or K awards for faculty).

Postdoctoral scholars are strongly advised to take RCR in their first year of training, even if you received training recently as a graduate student.

If you are not sure if you are required to take RCR, please contact us or your program administrator. Faculty and postdoctoral scholars not funded by NIH or NSF are still strongly encouraged to enroll.

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.