In order to maintain an institutional culture that supports research integrity, Memorial Sloan Kettering offers a biannual Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) course for research trainees. The course is designed for research trainees and others interested in ethical considerations regarding the responsible conduct of research in the scientific enterprise.
The intent is that this course be thought-provoking and useful, and that it provide participants with a foundation of information that will support their scientific journeys. The future of science depends on attracting the most talented, energetic, and morally strong people to research. It is incumbent on all of us in the research community to learn and work together to create a research environment dedicated to the highest ethical standards as we advance the cause of good science. This course is intended to fulfill mandated requirements for RCR instruction as required by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and other sponsoring agencies.
“The scientific research enterprise, like other human activities, is built on a foundation of trust. Scientists trust that the results reported by others are valid. Society trusts that the results of research reflect an honest attempt by scientists to describe the world accurately and without bias. The level of trust that has characterized science and its relationship with society has contributed to a period of unparalleled scientific productivity. But this trust will endure only if the scientific community devotes itself to exemplifying and transmitting the values associated with ethical scientific conduct.”
Biomarkers are
biochemical or molecular indicators of defined states of health, disease, or
response to therapy. Biomarkers are used clinically for diagnosis, prognosis,
and patient management. Understanding the limitations of biomarker assays is
key to appropriate test utilization and interpretation. With increases in novel
treatment modalities, the need for companion biomarker assays is growing. This
course will enable participants to understand pathways to the development of
biomarker assays from the research bench to the clinic, as well as to interpret
results, based on understanding assay performance characteristics and
limitations.
- Teacher: Jessica R. Chapman-Lim
- Teacher: Lauren A. McVoy
- Teacher: Joann C. Rittersbach
Conducting safe, high-quality clinical research necessitates accounting for on- and off-target drug effects and how drugs reach those targets across a diverse cohort. Principal investigators must apply crucial pharmacotherapeutic concepts when designing clinical cancer research to ensure protocols direct efforts to manage intra- and inter-patient differences in drug exposure and maximize safety.
This course explores principles of pharmacotherapy as they relate to clinical cancer research, including pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, pharmacogenomics, drug interactions, and considerations in special populations. The course’s intent is to provide investigators with a practical foundation for rational incorporation of these principles into research protocols.
- Teacher: Michael Buege
- Teacher: Larry W. Buie
- Teacher: Stephen Harnicar
- Teacher: Andrea C. Levoir
- Teacher: Dazhi Liu
- Teacher: Long T. Nguyen