Science Ethics and Conflicts Quiz

Conflict of Conscience

• Scientists face ethical dilemmas that may clash with their personal beliefs.

Conflict of Effort

• Scientists may face challenges when their time commitments extend beyond their assigned duties.
• For example, a predoctoral or postdoctoral trainee might be offered a lucrative consulting position.
• This could lead to a conflict with their research responsibilities and academic duties.
• Management of this conflict can be achieved through open communication between the trainee and their supervisor, establishing clear expectations of time management and prioritizing academic responsibilities.

Conflict of Interest

• A conflict of interest occurs when a scientist's personal interests, such as financial gains or professional alliances, may compromise their objectivity in research or professional activities.

Equity Interests

• Public institutions have restrictions on scientists who are entrepreneurs and equity owners in companies that receive grants or contracts from their universities.

Disclosure Requirements for Publicly Funded Research

• All U.S. institutions receiving federal funds for research are required to develop policies and procedures for disclosing potential conflicts of interest.
• The regulations apply not only to the institution but also to sub-recipient organizations, and they encompass individuals defined as "investigators."
• These regulations may extend to collaborators, consultants, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and other individuals involved in the research.
• PHS regulations might apply to non-PHS grant programs, depending on the program's terms and conditions and the institution's policies.
• Essential disclosures include income related to intellectual property rights, travel expenses, and any other interests required by the institution's policies.

Case Studies

• Andre Cesar faces a potential conflict of interest when offered a position at Leaper Enterprises, a competitor to the company sponsoring his mentor's research.
• Dr. Cecilia Jonas potentially compromises her objectivity by reviewing a manuscript similar to her own, which conflicts with her role as an editorial board member.
• Dr. Rudee Prasad encounters a conflict of interest as a toxicological consultant for a company in which he has significant investments. He discovers potential safety concerns with a drug under development, creating a dilemma between his financial interest and his professional responsibility for patient safety.

Managing Conflicts of Interest

• Many journals require authors and reviewers to disclose their financial interests.
• Grant review panels and advisory boards have established conflict-of-interest guidelines, such as excluding individuals with financial interests in the product or company under review.
• Institutions receiving federal funds for research are required to develop policies addressing potential conflicts of interest.

Financial Conflicts

• Common stocks and mutual funds can both create financial conflicts of interest, requiring disclosure of any significant holdings.
• Scientists should consult their university's conflict of interest guidelines for specific details and requirements.

Data Ownership and Retention

• The grantee institution owns the data generated by NIH-funded research
• The principal investigator nor any member of the research team owns the data
• NIH requires data retention for 3 years beyond the final financial expenditure report
• Data retention requirements may vary for public and private funding agencies
• State laws regarding the retention of data may override federal laws
• The Commonwealth of Virginia has a 5-year data retention requirement

Good Data Books

• Legible and written in ballpoint pen ink
• Well organized and up-to-date
• Accurate and complete
• Include data output affixed to pages
• Allow repetition of experiments
• Compliant with relevant funding agency and institutional requirements
• Accessible to authorized persons, stored properly, and appropriately backed up
• Properly witnessed when necessary
• Properly recognized as the property of the institution
• The ultimate record of scientific contributions

Investigation of Allegations of Research Misconduct

• The record should describe all the researcher's activities, not just successful ones
• Written laboratory notebook should reference electronic records with enough detail to be able to locate them
• Regular (weekly or monthly) laboratory notebook review by a supervisor or faculty advisor should be documented
• All laboratory records should be maintained in a secure manner and backed up with copies stored in an alternate location

Electronic Record Keeping

• Computer-assisted record-keeping should involve printing all electronic files and affixing them to the pages of a traditional data book
• An official procedure for the lab's electronic record-keeping process should be developed and communicated to all users
• The storage location and organization of electronic records should be clearly defined
• Storage should ideally be on servers that are password-protected
• Electronic files should be write-protected, using read-only permission for anyone accessing research data files
• All electronic files should be time stamped
• A record of the name and location of the digital file should be described in the data book

Scientific Record Keeping: Data Book Format

• If an observation requires a complex explanation, it should be described in detail
• The same is true for interpretations and plans for additional work
• Presentation and detail must be complete and comprehensible
• Each experiment should begin with a brief statement of its purpose, whether routine or not
• Descriptions of any methods not found in the laboratory's central manual should be included
• The appropriate literature from which methods are derived should be cited
• Deviations from referenced procedures must be precisely indicated
• The grade, sources, and lot numbers of specialized chemicals, reagents, and enzymes should all be recorded
• The name, address, and phone number of the supplier should be included if there is any question about name recognition
• Specific information on properties and source should be recorded for biological materials such as cell lines, bacterial strains, or animals
• Each repeat of an experiment should be written up separately
• It is acceptable to record materials and methods with appropriate detail and completeness the first time the experiment is performed, and to refer back to the first experiment if there is no methodology change in future runs

Scientific Record Keeping: Data Book Observations and Results

• Data should be recorded directly in the data book as soon as available
• Original data recorded in hand script should always be entered directly into the data book
• Data should never be written on loose sheets of paper and then transcribed later into the data book
• The data book should contain all renderings of the data, including calculations and organized presentations such as tables and graphs created using the data
• Calculations should be explained
• Tables and graphs should be clearly labeled
• Photographic materials should be affixed to the page using archival-quality glue or tape
• Any related materials not included in the data book should be catalogued, and their location identified

Scientific Record Keeping: Data Book Discussion and Conclusion

• Each experiment should be discussed following the recording of observations and calculations
• Discussion comments may be entered at various places in the experimental write-up
• It is appropriate to include comments that capture impressions and interpretations at various places in the written experiment
• Investigators are cautioned against using phrases like “the experiment failed” or describing a yield as “no good”
• The last entry in the completed write-up of the experiment should state the conclusions of the work
• This should be done even if it repeats comments previously written into the data book
• Conclusion logically belong at the end of the experiment

Course Overview

• PHS601: Ethics, Responsible Conduct of Research
• Taught by Keykavous Parang
• Room 203, 9501 Jeronimo Road

Course Learning Outcomes

• Familiarize students with written guidelines for responsible scientific conduct.
• Cover topics like authorship, use of humans and animals, academic honor standards, conflict of interest, and general standards of scientific conduct.
• Introduce statutes related to intellectual property ownership, protection, and use in scientific research.
• Help students understand conventions and norms in scientific mentorship and training relationships.
• Explain conventions of scientific record keeping.
• Teach students to evaluate and manage potential conflicts of interest.
• Enable students to identify and address ethical dilemmas in their research.

Course Content

• Responsible conduct of research
• Data management
• Authorship and peer review
• Collaborative work
• Scientific record keeping
• Responsible use and welfare of animals and humans in biomedical experimentation
• Conflict of Interest

Instructional and Learning Strategies

• Combines didactic lectures and case studies
• Requires active learning both inside and outside of the classroom
• Students are expected to complete assigned activities before attending class sessions.

Course Grade

• Class participation: 15%
• Quizzes: 30%
• Final Exam: 55%

Grade Assignment

• A: 95.0-100
• A-: 90.0-94.9
• B+: 87.0-89.9
• B: 84.0-86.9
• B-: 80.0-83.9
• C+: 77.0-79.9
• C: 74.0-76.9
• C-: 70.0-73.9
• F: Below 70.0
• A passing grade (≥ 77%) is required to pass the course.

Course Overview

• PHS601: Ethics, Responsible Conduct of Research
• Covers ethical considerations in scientific research including responsible conduct of research, data management, authorship, peer review, collaborative work, scientific record keeping, responsible use and welfare of animals and humans in biomedical experimentations, conflict of interest

Course Learning Outcomes

• Become familiar with written guidelines on conducting scientific research, including scientific authorship, use of animals and humans in research, academic honor standards, conflict of interest, and general standards of scientific conduct
• Understand statutes governing ownership, protection, and use of intellectual property in scientific research
• Describe conventions and normative behavior in the mentor-trainee relationship
• Describe conventions of scientific record keeping
• Evaluate the potential impact of conflicts of interest and how to manage them as a researcher
• Identify and appropriately address ethical dilemmas and integrate these concepts into their research

Instructional and Learning Strategies

• Combines didactic lectures and case studies
• Requires active learning in and outside the classroom
• Students are expected to have completed assigned activities (e.g., reading materials or cases, completing practices) before class sessions

Course Grade

• In class participation 15%
• Quizzes 30%
• Final Exam 55%
• A grade of ≥77% is required to pass the course
• Grading scale: A (95-100), A- (90-94.9), B+ (87-89.9), B (84-86.9), B- (80-83.9), C+ (77-79.9), C (74-76.9), C- (70-73.9), F (below 70)

Test your understanding of the ethical dilemmas scientists face, including conflicts of conscience, effort, and interest. This quiz examines how personal beliefs and external commitments can challenge the integrity of scientific work. Explore various scenarios where these conflicts may arise and learn about the importance of management and communication in addressing them.