RCR Workshop Scheduled Oct. 31

Dr. Jack Bantle, WSU vice president for research and graduate studies, invites Wright State University faculty to a lunchtime workshop on “Introduction to The Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR)” on Monday, Oct. 31, 2011, from 12:00–1:00 p.m. in E156 Student Union on the WSU main campus.

Wright State University supports efforts to provide education in the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR).  One component of RCR education is to clearly define “research misconduct” and clarify the process for handling allegations of misconduct in research.  This guidance has been incorporated into Wright Way Policy #2101, “Administrative Procedures for Allegations of Research Misconduct.”

It is the policy of Wright State University that the highest ethical standards in the conduct of research be maintained. These standards apply to all members of the university community (faculty, staff, and students) who may be involved in research, scholarship, or creative activities whether supported by internal or external funds.

Pizza and refreshments will be provided to workshop participants. Please RSVP to Jan Power (rsp@wright.edu; 775-2425). The deadline for registration is Friday, Oct. 21.

HHS Tightens Financial Conflict of Interest Rules for Researchers

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services today issued an updated Final Rule on conflict of interest, providing a framework for identifying, managing, and ultimately avoiding investigators’ financial conflicts of interest Staff from the National Institutes of Health worked with others in HHS to revise the 1995 regulations to update and enhance the objectivity and integrity of the research process.

Major changes to the regulations include the definition of significant financial interest (SFI), the extent of investigator disclosure, the information reported to the Public Health Service (PHS) awarding component, the information made accessible to the public, and investigator training. For example, the revised regulations:

• Require investigators to disclose to their institutions all of their significant financial interests related to their institutional responsibilities.
• Lower the monetary threshold at which significant financial interests require disclosure, generally from $10,000 to $5,000.
• Require institutions to report to the PHS awarding component additional information on identified financial conflicts of interest and how they are being managed.
• Require institutions to make certain information accessible to the public concerning identified SFIs held by senior/key personnel.
• Require investigators to complete training related to the regulations and their institution’s financial conflict of interest policy.

Additional details about the major changes to the regulations can be found at: (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/FCOI_Final_Rule_inspection_Desk.pdf).

The regulations will be implemented no later than 365 calendar days after publication of the final rule in the Federal Register.

Read more via http://www.nih.gov/news/health/aug2011/od-23.htm.

Feb. 14 Workshop Clarifies Research Misconduct

Dr. Jack Bantle, WSU vice president for research and graduate studies, invites Wright State University faculty to a lunchtime workshop on “Research Misconduct” on Monday, Feb. 14, 2011, from 12:00-1:00 p.m. in 365 Joshi on the WSU main campus.

Wright State University supports efforts to provide education in the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR).  One component of RCR education is to clearly define “research misconduct” and clarify the process for handling allegations of misconduct in research.  This guidance has been incorporated into Wright Way Policy #2101, “Administrative Procedures for Allegations of Research Misconduct.”

It is the policy of Wright State University that the highest ethical standards in the conduct of research be maintained. These standards apply to all members of the university community (faculty, staff, and students) who may be involved in research, scholarship, or creative activities whether supported by internal or external funds.

Pizza and refreshments will be provided to workshop participants. Please RSVP to Jan Power (rsp@wright.edu; 775-2425). The deadline for registration is Friday, Feb. 11, 2011.

FDA Workshop on Cell and Gene Therapy Clinical Trials Scheduled Nov. 2

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will hold a one-day Public Workshop on “Cell and Gene Therapy Clinical Trials in Pediatric Populations” on November 2, 2010, in Bethesda, MD.  The purpose of the workshop is to gather information from Institutional Review Boards (IRBs), gene and cellular therapy clinical researchers, and other stakeholders regarding best practices related to cell and gene therapy clinical trials in pediatric populations, as well as challenges and considerations in the review of these clinical trials. Read more.

NIH Clarification on Review of Animal Research

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has issued notice NOT-OD-10-128 to clarify how the Vertebrate Animal Section (VAS) of applications for grants, fellowships, and cooperative agreements is evaluated as part of the NIH peer review process and is considered as part of the overall scoring. Further clarification is provided on the oversight role of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and review responsibility of NIH Scientific Review Groups (SRG). Read more.

Wright State Ranks Highly in Social Mission of Medical Schools

In a study published today in the Annals of Internal Medicine, Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine ranked 4th out of 141 U.S. medical schools in a new metric called the social mission score.

The composite score represents the percentage of graduates who practice primary care, work in health professional shortage areas, and are underrepresented minorities. The study included 60 043 physicians in active practice who graduated from medical school between 1999 and 2001, a sample period that accounts for residency training and other service obligations.

The nation’s three historically black medical schools (Morehouse University in Atlanta, Mehary Medical College in Nashville, and Howard University in Washington, D.C.) topped the social mission ranking, followed by Wright State and the University of Kansas.

Howard Part, M.D., dean of the Boonshoft School of Medicine, told the Dayton Daily News that the school’s high ranking in terms of social mission reflects its community-based organization. “It’s remarkable how focused our students are in serving their fellow human beings,” he said.

According to the authors of The Social Mission of Medical Education:

Medical schools contribute numerous important public goods to society beyond training the future physician workforce. They generate new scientific knowledge, are the home of leading-edge clinical treatments, and often provide substantial health care to underserved communities through their university hospitals and affiliates. Medical schools, however, are the only institutions in our society that can produce physicians; yet assessments of medical schools, such as the well-known U.S. News & World Report ranking system, often value research funding, school reputation, and student selectivity factors (16) over the actual educational output of each school, particularly regarding the number of graduates who enter primary care, practice in underserved areas, and are underrepresented minorities. Read more.

Nominations Sought for HSR Impact Awards

AcademyHealth has issued a call for nominations for the sixth annual Health Services Research Impact Award which recognizes outstanding research that has been successfully translated into health policy, management, or clinical practice and, as a result, had a positive impact on health and health care.

The lead researcher of the winning impact will receive $2,000, and the research will be disseminated widely as part of AcademyHealth’s ongoing efforts to promote the field of health services research. The deadline for nominations is July 30, 2010. For more information on eligibility requirements, selection criteria, and application details, see the AcademyHealth web site.

If you have any questions, please contact Patrick Burbine at Patrick.burbine@academyhealth.org or 202.292.6738

AcademyHealth represents a broad community of people with an interest in and commitment to using health services research to improve health care. The organization promotes interaction across the health research and policy arenas by bringing together a broad spectrum of players to share their perspectives, learn from each other, and strengthen their working relationships. Read more.

Third Frontier’s Impact on Wright State University

Ohio’s Third Frontier — a statewide program to fuel economic development with new technologies — has enabled Wright State University to create hundreds of new jobs, expand businesses, and accelerate research into everything from sensors to cancer. According to a new WSU website.

On May 4, Ohio voters will be asked to renew funding for the Third Frontier without any new taxes. Issue 1 would authorize the state to issue up to $700 million in bonds, enough to keep the Third Frontier running through 2016.

“The Third Frontier has given birth to a wonderful set of assets,” Wright State President David R. Hopkins wrote in an op-ed piece published by the Dayton Daily News. “If nourished, these assets promise to become powerful job-producing engines of the new knowledge economy.”

Third Frontier funding has helped create an infrastructure of buildings, equipment, and people that is just beginning to produce cutting-edge jobs and new companies. In just a few short years, Wright State has turned $24 million in Third Frontier funding into hundreds of new jobs and the creation and expansion of numerous businesses. Read more.

RSP Hosts Webinar on Responsible Conduct of Research

WSU’s Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (RSP) will host a webinar on “Educating for the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR): Strategies for Research Institutions” on Thursday,  April 8, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m., in 005 Library Annex on the WSU main campus.

Presented by Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research (PRIM&R), the webinar is free of charge. Seating is limited to 40. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to Ellen Reinsch Friese (ellen.friese@wright.edu) by Wednesday, April 7, at 5:00 p.m..

The webinar is intended for those responsible for research training grants, especially research educators and program directors.  Individuals involved in the activities of research compliance committees on campus may also find the webinar helpful.

According to PRIM&R, “while this webinar will focus on education in the responsible conduct of biomedical research, the topics are also relevant to broader areas of graduate and post-graduate research education.”

For more information, see the PRIMR webinar website.

Jan. 12 Faculty Workshop Covers Ethical Standards in the Responsible Conduct of Research

Dr. Jack Bantle, WSU vice president for research and graduate studies, invites Wright State University faculty to a lunchtime workshop on “Ethical Standards in the Conduct of Research” on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2010, from 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. in E156 Student Union on the WSU main campus.

Wright State University supports efforts to provide education in the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR).  One component of RCR education is to clearly define “research misconduct” and clarify the process for handling allegations of misconduct in research.  This guidance has been incorporated into Wright Way Policy #2101, “Administrative Procedures for Allegations of Research Misconduct.”

It is the policy of Wright State University that the highest ethical standards in the conduct of research be maintained. These standards apply to all members of the university community (faculty, staff, and students) who may be involved in research, scholarship, or creative activities whether supported by internal or external funds.

Pizza and refreshments will be provided to workshop participants. Please RSVP to Jan Power (rsp@wright.edu; 775-2425). The deadline for registration is Friday, Jan. 8, 2010.