Code of Conduct for Research

Introduction

The Stowers Institute requires all its staff, researchers and students engaged in research or peer review of research processes to be aware of and agree to comply with its code of conduct for research. The Institute is committed to conduct research in accordance with the seven principals identified by the Nolan committee on standards in Public Life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership. The Institute expects these standards to be maintained by all academic, research and support staff, students and their supervisors and other individuals conducting research or involved in the peer review of research process within or on behalf of the Institute.

Honesty and Integrity

Researchers should be honest in respect to their own actions in research and in their responses to the actions of other researchers. This applies to the whole range of research, including experimental design, generating and analyzing data, applying for funding, publishing results, and acknowledging the direct and indirect contributions of colleagues, collaborators and others. All researchers should refrain from plagiarism, piracy, the fabrication of results or infringement of intellectual property. Committing any of these actions is regarded as a serious disciplinary offence. Researchers should also declare and manage any real or potential conflicts of interest, both financial and professional.

Openness and Accountability

Whilst recognizing the need for researchers to protect their academic research interests in the planning, carrying out and writing up of research and, where appropriate, handling of intellectual property (IP rights , the Institute encourages all researchers to be open as possible in discussing their work with other researchers and with the public. Once results have been published, the Institute expects researchers to make available relevant data and materials to other researchers, on request, provided this is consistent with ethical approvals and consents which cover the data and materials, and any intellectual property rights in them.

Professional Guidance and Legislation

The Institute expects researchers to comply with the guidance provided by funding bodies, academic and scientific societies and also other relevant professional bodies. All researchers should be aware of the compliance requirements of their work noting particularly environmental health and safety standards, the US National Standards to Protect the Privacy of Personal Health Information (HIPAA)and data protection of other private personal information; NIH guidelines with respect to human subjects research; recombinant DNA research; and animal welfare legislation. Ethical approval of all research at the Institute must be obtained from the relevant committees. Researchers must obtain the necessary regulatory approval from the relevant national regulatory and/or statutory bodies.

Leadership and Supervision

Research Management and the Research Faculty should ensure that a research culture of mutual cooperation is created in which all members of a research team are encouraged to develop their skills and in which the open exchange of research ideas is fostered. Research group leaders and supervisors must ensure the appropriate direction of research and its financial propriety. Scientific misconduct is unlikely to arise in an environment where good research practices, including documentation of results, peer review of research, regular discussion and seminar, are encouraged and where adequate supervision exists at all relevant levels.

Recording Data/Results/Samples/Equipment

Throughout their work, researchers are required to keep clear and accurate records of the procedures followed and the approvals granted during the research process, including records of interim results obtained as well as of the final research outcomes. This is necessary not only as a means of demonstrating proper research practice, but also in case questions are subsequently asked about either the conduct of the research or the results obtained. All primary data as the basis for publications should be securely stored for at least 5 years unless otherwise required by contractual terms or the guidance of relevant professional bodies in a paper and /or electronic form, as appropriate, after the completion of a research project. Proper documentation and storage procedures will minimize cases of allegations of scientific misconduct where original data cannot be found or allegedly lost. Researchers should utilize means of data storage appropriate to the task.

Dissemination of Results and Publication Practice

The Institute encourages the publication of and the dissemination of results of high quality research but believes that researchers must do this responsibly and with an awareness of the consequences of any such dissemination in the wider media. The Institute believes that although researchers must have academic freedom, the funding sponsor should be notified in advance when the research might be published or disseminated. The Institute also acknowledges the legitimate interest of the sponsor in securing patent protection for inventions in the course of research prior to publication or dissemination of the results. All funding sources must be acknowledged in any publication or publicity. Researchers should make every effort to ensure research is peer reviewed prior to publication or dissemination.

The practice of honorary authorship is unacceptable, i.e. only those who have contributed to the research should be included as authors on the publication. The contributions of formal collaborators and all others who directly assisted or indirectly supported the research should be specified and properly acknowledged.

The Institute recognizes that publication of the results of research may need to be delayed for a reasonable period pending protection of any intellectual property arising from the research. Any such periods of delay should be kept to a minimum.

Scientific Misconduct

All members of the Institute have a duty to report misconduct in research to the head of the appropriate department. For the purpose of this code of conduct, misconduct in research includes any breach of this code of conduct, but is not limited to the following, whether deliberate, reckless or negligent:

Fabrication, falsification or corruption of research data

Plagiarism or dishonest use of acknowledged sources

Unauthorized use of another person` s research data, materials or writing

Unjustified destruction of research materials

Deception in relation to research proposals

Fraud and misuse of research funds

Any allegations made against Institute members, including research students, will be dealt with in accordance with the Institute Regulations. The Institute undertakes to inform the relevant body of any substantiated allegations of scientific misconduct when appropriate.