Cancer Research UK has deepened its commitment to good research practice by becoming a signatory of the Concordat to Support Research Integrity. Here we speak with two Research Integrity Advisers at our institutes to find out why supporting scientists to be the best they can be is the only way to ensure quality research…
Research integrity is the cornerstone of good science. For the cancer research community this is important, not just because conducting research according to the highest standards is the ‘right’ thing to do, but because it is the most effective way to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.
This piece by UK Cancer Research is an excellent example of how institutions can embed responsible practice into their research and underscore the point research integrity is an integral component of quality research. This is a statement we will definitely be referring to in our current research integrity work.
“Our roles aren’t about policing – they really are about supporting and being advocates for good research practice.”
Two CRUK institutes have gone further still in their commitment to this and have appointed dedicated research integrity advisers to not only uphold standards, but also facilitate training and guidance. It’s a wide remit, and to understand their roles it’s probably easier to define what they’re not says Dr Catherine Winchester, Senior Research Adviser at the CRUK Beatson Institute in Glasgow. “Our roles aren’t about policing,” she says. “It’s not about having a little black book and noting everything down – it’s about supporting and being advocates for good research practice.”
