1. Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR)

I clearly recognize the importance of adhering to the highest standards of ethics in biomedical research. I believe that RCR training is a continuous, life-long process that will continue through the progression of my career. I anticipate being in the role of trainee in the beginning of this award period and by the end of the 5-year period I hope to transition to a role of a mentor in RCR for my students and trainees.

  1. Format: My RCR training will include face-to-face discussion with my mentors, formal didactic lecturespresented annually by the UTHSC Office of Research Compliance, and completion of online coursework and lectures. As a requirement for submission of studies to the UTHSC Institutional Review Board (IRB), I have completed the online course developed by the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative regarding the protection of human subjects. Also, as a requirement of my Ph.D. program, I have also previously completed a one-credit-hour course entitled “IP 801: Integrity in the Conduct of Scientific Research.”This is a one-credit-hour semester-long course covered ethical principles and related federal and state laws that govern scientific research. I will continue to stay up-to-date with any university requirements for RCR. I will to meet with Dr. Trevor Sweatman, Ph.D., Chair of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), as issues arise concerning the ethical use of animals in research. I will also complete the required on-line training courses mandated by the UTHSC IACUC.

In order to prepare myself to teach RCR to my students and trainees working in my laboratory, I will review Teaching Research Ethics ( an annual workshop presented by at Indiana University. In addition, I will review the NIH Research Training website ( which also contains links to the Office of Research Integrity and links to models for instruction in RCR.

  1. Subjects to Cover: Topics that will be covered will include: (i) mentor/mentee relationships and responsibilities, (ii) data acquisition, management, sharing and ownership, (iii) research misconduct, consequences, and confronting issues, (iv) plagiarism and authorship, (v) ethics in animal research, (vi) safe practices in laboratory research, and (vii) conflict resolution and team work within a research laboratory.
  2. Faculty Participation: I will engage the assistance from my entire mentoring team for my RCR training. I will also seek assistance from Dr. Sweatman (chair of the IACUC) as well as the advice from personnel in the Office of Research Compliance at UTHSC as any issue may arise.
  3. Frequency and duration of Instruction: RCR will be a continuous topic in all mentoring and research discussions, but I will also plan to have a minimum of 2-hours annually with Dr. (Mentor) that focus specifically on the topics listed above. In addition to these face-to-face discussions I plan to review an online RCR workshop every 6 months and seek opportunities on campus to expand my knowledge of RCR. As I enter into the later years of this project, I plan to find opportunities to become a leader in education of RCR.