Animal models are used in biomedical research studies to determine how genetic, therapeutic, and other modifications affect the structure and function of a living system. Some of these studies influence what drug candidates are selected for human clinical trials or what therapeutic intervention should be tested in the clinic. However, there is growing concern that much of the information reported in the scholarly literature, particularly those that use animal models, is unreliable due to poor experimental design and technique, improper analysis of findings or over- interpretation of results. As such, scholarly journals, funding bodies, and scientific associations have developed author, and reviewer, checklists to help ensure that the experimental details reported in manuscripts are accurate, robust and can be repeated by other investigators. Despite these efforts, by the time journals interact with researchers, as authors, the experimental portion of the study is complete including any flawed research practices related to the study. Thus, while journals can enforce transparency of the research reported in manuscripts, they cannot change how the original research was performed. To address this issue, we propose to develop an on-demand education module, for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and early career investigators who use, or are planning to use animal models in their research. The module will be developed based upon our proven method for designing highly-effective Professional Skills Training (PST) Courses such as the writing and reviewing manuscripts PST and the publication ethics PST.
In Aim 1 we will prepare an education module, focused on developing skills in designing, performing and reporting well- controlled animal studies, using effective student-centered learning pedagogy.
In Aim 2, we will pilot, evaluate, and revise the draft module with multiple audiences including graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and other biomedical research investigators.
In Aim 3, we will disseminate the revised version of the module and related teaching resources via free digital libraries, professional society workshops, and websites.
In Aim 4, we will develop and support a community of practice for animal researchers in order to foster an ongoing dialogue on best practices for performing animal studies. The education materials and community of practice will provide biomedical researchers, who use animal models in their research, the resources they need in the lab to help them develop well designed, properly controlled research studies that are more likely to be accurate and reproducible.
This project will develop teaching materials to support biomedical researchers who use, or plan to use, animals as research models. Research practices, particularly for animal studies, are learned within the laboratory setting and as such the quality of the training, and the expertise available, varies from lab to lab, leaving room for poor practices to develop in weak laboratory environments. These materials will provide a robust education module that focuses on the professional standards of practice related to designing, performing, analyzing and reporting biomedical studies that use animals as a research model and will be available on-demand for any researcher that wants to develop strong skills in designing animal studies and in reporting findings that are significant, and reproducible.
