연구윤리에 대한 생명과학자들의 의견 및 인식조사

Abstract

To investigate opinions and current status on research ethics and education in the field of life science, online-surveys targeting members of Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology and interviews of students who took the course titled ‘Life Science Research Ethics' were performed. The online survey results indicated that most life scientists agreed that research ethics education was necessary. However, as of June 2006, only a few universities or research institutes have provided the education. Most researchers wanted intensive face-to-face seminar or workshop rather than on-line education. They also preferred a mandatory course provided by research institutes or graduate schools to those provided by other funding or government agencies. In terms of topics to be taught, much interests were shown in issues of ‘data processing and recording', ‘authorship criteria’ and ‘management of research grants'. Approximately thirty-nine percent of the respondents experienced ethical conflicts in conducting research and most of them answered they would be willing to consult an ombudsman, if available. To promote research integrity, respondents recommended that government agencies support research ethics education and establish equitable, reliable, and transparent funding system for research Biology research ethics course was offered as an optional course for graduate students in the Department of Biology at Chonnam National University in the fall semester of 2005. The answers to the pre- and the post-course questionnaires showed that the students' perception of research ethics had changed in such a way that they paid greater attention to the issues of integrity in scientific research. In addition, students were presented cases involving potential conflict of interest in performing research and were asked if they could provide reasons before and after the course. Students reported more answers and specific the reasons they provided were more specific and relevant to the cases, which indicates than student' increased ethical awareness has increased after taking the course. In individual interviews of students, many of them answered that they were pleased to discuss a variety of dilemmas they can encounter in conducting research, but some of them expressed difficulties in active participation in discussion. In conclusion, the study indicates researchers in life scientists are well aware of the importance of research ethics education and are willing to take the course if available. In addition, problem-based learning could increase students' ethical awareness and sensitivity. Further development of appropriate teaching materials and discussion cases for problem-based learning will facilitate the spread of research ethics education for life scientists in Korea.