Research Ethics Week is the University of Minnesota's annual week-long series of educational opportunities focused on professional development and best practices to promote and uphold high standards of ethics and integrity in research. This year’s programming featured 13 events that moved beyond compliance to explore the “how” and “why” of ethical research in a rapidly changing environment. More than 1,800 attendees participated in sessions on a range of relevant and timely topics, including the ethical use of AI in research, challenges in global health research, building an ethical safety culture, ethical decision-making in psychiatry, advancing animal welfare, and more.
"Research ethics week is more than a series of lectures," said Danielle Rintala, the University's director of Research Integrity and Compliance and Interim Research Integrity Officer. "It provides an opportunity for our entire research community to engage in impactful, meaningful dialogue about the values that underpin our work and strengthen the foundation of public trust in everything we do."
Building a Foundation: RCR and Professional Integrity
The week's programming kicked off on Monday, March 2 with the first Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Foundations Workshop held during Research Ethics Week. Hosting 75 attendees ranging from graduate students and postdocs to senior faculty, the session transformed “required training” into a robust forum for solving real-world ethical challenges.
- Alicia Hofelich Mohr and Sade Spencer shared actionable strategies for data management and fair authorship, emphasizing transparency as the best defense against research friction.
- Experts from the Research Integrity and Compliance (RIC) department and the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) led deep dives into the legal ramifications of misconduct, helping researchers navigate the fine line between detrimental practices and scientific rigor.
- A panel featuring directors from the Research Integrity and Compliance department, Human Research Protection Program (HRPP), the Institutional Review Board (IRB), the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), the Office of Biotechnology Activities Oversight (OABO), the Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA), and the Health Safety Research Management (HSRM) provided updates on shifting federal policies, ensuring University researchers remain at the forefront of compliance.
“After the incredible turnout and engagement at this year's event, we are already gearing up for next year. We look forward to hosting an RCR workshop annually,” said Research Integrity and Compliance manager Celeste Sheftel.
Beyond the dialogue, the workshop served a practical dual purpose: participants earned five hours of verified in-person RCR training, fulfilling critical NIH requirements for their formal progress updates.
Research Ethics Day: Navigating Threats and Opportunities
The cornerstone of the week, the Research Ethics Day Conference, drew 1,600 attendees from across the globe. Organized by the Consortium on Law and Values, this year’s theme focused on how to maintain rigorous safeguards while embracing massive shifts in technology and funding.
Speakers with experience in universities, industry, health care organizations, and government gathered online to explore key themes and debate solutions to common issues among academic research institutions, including how to strengthen Institutional Review Boards (IRBs), how to preserve funds for essential ethics personnel, and how to respond to changes in federal funding. A major thread throughout all of the day’s sessions was the necessity of evolving ethical frameworks to keep pace with artificial intelligence (AI), ensuring that speed does not compromise safety in research.
“Our research methods, data ecosystems and technologies are evolving quickly. The challenge is to continue strengthening research integrity and trustworthy science while seizing the opportunity to improve research practices and oversight,” expressed interim vice president for research and innovation, Joanne Billings.
Speakers during the conference included Joanne Billings, MD, MPH; Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, PhD, MD, MAS; Christine Grady, MSN, PhD; Barbara E. Bierer, MD; Holly Fernandez Lynch, JD, MBE; Arthur Lupia, PhD; Susan Garfinkel, PhD; Vence L. Bonham Jr., JD; Maya Sabatello, LLB, PhD; Brendan Parent, JD; and Efthimios Parasidis, JD, MBE. Each session was moderated by a faculty or staff member from the University of Minnesota.
The conference videos are available now on the Consortium’s website.
Expanding the Conversation
The significance of these issues extended beyond the University, as Research Ethics Day organizer, consortium chair, and regents professor Susan M. Wolf, JD, joined MPR News to discuss how shifting federal funding and AI are reshaping the research landscape. During the interview, Wolf emphasized that while technology like AI offers incredible breakthroughs, it must be matched by human oversight to preserve the "guardrails" of science.
Research ethics is essential to public trust, Wolf told MPR News. "We’re asking people altruistically to participate in our research” and “unless they have confidence that they are going to be protected—their rights, their ability to consent…they’re not going to participate…. So ethics, the responsible conduct of research is crucial to making progress."
The Future of Animal Welfare
On Thursday, the second annual animal welfare symposium brought together over 150 researchers, administrators, lab staff, and other members of the animal research community to discuss the evolving landscape of animal welfare and ethical research. The event focused heavily on new approach methodologies (NAMs) and the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement), emphasizing how the University and its partners are leading the charge in humane scientific advancement.
The symposium highlighted the work of several University of Minnesota researchers, including Melanie Graham, professor, Department of Surgery and director of the Preclinical Research Center, whose biomedical research focuses on regenerative medicine in diseases such as diabetes. She shared examples of how NAMs such as AI models and organoids are currently being used to refine pre-clinical research to promote successful translation to patients.
Several speakers presented UMN pilot projects that are focused on integrating NAMs in the current research environment with the goal of modernizing research while prioritizing animal welfare and scientific precision.
A Shared Commitment to Research Ethics
The University of Minnesota's Research Ethics Week provided a broad range of opportunities for the research community to engage in robust dialogue about important ethical issues in research and the current and future threats and opportunities facing the research enterprise. These comprehensive presentations and valuable educational opportunities reinforce the University’s commitment to research integrity and shaping a future where ethical considerations are paramount in scientific advancement and innovation.