TY - JOUR
T1 - Rigor, Reproducibility, and Transparency in Shared Research Resources
T2 - Follow-Up Survey and Recommendations for Improvements
AU - Ott, Andrew W.
AU - Sol-Church, Katia
AU - Deshpande, Gauravi M.
AU - Knudtson, Kevin L.
AU - Meyn, Susan M.
AU - Mische, Sheenah M.
AU - Taatjes, Douglas J.
AU - Sturges, Michael R.
AU - Gregory, Christopher W.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities. All rights reserved.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Rigor, reproducibility, and transparency (RR&T) are essential components of all scientific pursuits. Shared research resources, also known as core facilities, are on the frontlines of ensuring robust RR&T practices. The Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities Committee on Core Rigor and Reproducibility conducted a follow-up survey 4 years after the initial 2017 survey to determine if core facilities have seen a positive impact of new RR&T initiatives (including guidance from the National Institutes of Health, new scientific journal requirements on transparency and data provenance, and educational tools from professional organizations). While there were fewer participants in the most recent survey, the respondents’ opinions on the role of core facilities and level of best practices adoption remained the same. Overall, the respondents agreed that procedures should be implemented by core facilities to ensure scientific RR&T. They also indicated that there is a strong correlation between institutions that emphasize RR&T and core customers using this expertise in grant applications and publications. The survey also assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on core operations and RR&T. The answers to these pandemic-related questions revealed that many of the strategies aimed at increasing efficiencies are also best practices related to RR&T, including the development of standard operating procedures, supply chain management, and cross training. Given the consistent and compelling awareness of the importance of RR&T expressed by core directors in 2017 and 2021 contrasted with the lack of apparent improvements over this time period, the authors recommend an adoption of RR&T statements by all core laboratories. Adhering to the RR&T guidelines will result in more efficient training, better compliance, and improved experimental approaches empowering cores to become “rigor champions.”.
AB - Rigor, reproducibility, and transparency (RR&T) are essential components of all scientific pursuits. Shared research resources, also known as core facilities, are on the frontlines of ensuring robust RR&T practices. The Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities Committee on Core Rigor and Reproducibility conducted a follow-up survey 4 years after the initial 2017 survey to determine if core facilities have seen a positive impact of new RR&T initiatives (including guidance from the National Institutes of Health, new scientific journal requirements on transparency and data provenance, and educational tools from professional organizations). While there were fewer participants in the most recent survey, the respondents’ opinions on the role of core facilities and level of best practices adoption remained the same. Overall, the respondents agreed that procedures should be implemented by core facilities to ensure scientific RR&T. They also indicated that there is a strong correlation between institutions that emphasize RR&T and core customers using this expertise in grant applications and publications. The survey also assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on core operations and RR&T. The answers to these pandemic-related questions revealed that many of the strategies aimed at increasing efficiencies are also best practices related to RR&T, including the development of standard operating procedures, supply chain management, and cross training. Given the consistent and compelling awareness of the importance of RR&T expressed by core directors in 2017 and 2021 contrasted with the lack of apparent improvements over this time period, the authors recommend an adoption of RR&T statements by all core laboratories. Adhering to the RR&T guidelines will result in more efficient training, better compliance, and improved experimental approaches empowering cores to become “rigor champions.”.
KW - core
KW - quality
KW - reproducibility
KW - rigor
KW - shared research resource
KW - transparency
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85150226054&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85150226054&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.7171/3fc1f5fe.fa789303
DO - 10.7171/3fc1f5fe.fa789303
M3 - Article
C2 - 36910580
AN - SCOPUS:85150226054
SN - 1524-0215
VL - 33
JO - Journal of Biomolecular Techniques
JF - Journal of Biomolecular Techniques
IS - 3
ER -