Redefining research quality: Reproducibility and beyond

We are in the midst of what some have called a research reproducibility crisis. While scientific discovery and complexity are developing at an unprecedented speed, less than 50% of scientific research studies can be reliably replicated. Left unchecked, this troubling fact may threaten our ability to generate sound, evidence-based knowledge that meets society’s needs. It is time to look beyond the traditional measures of quality and re-examine the very concept of quality itself.

Tuesday October 22nd, KI is proud to host university presidents and directors from around the country at the annual Association of Swedish Higher Education Institutions (SUHF) conference: Redefining research quality: The reproducibility challenge.

Throughout the day we will shine a light on these urgent challenges together with experts John Ioannidis (Stanford University Department of Medicine), Anna Dreber Almenberg (Stockholm School of Economics), Glenn Begley (BioCurate Pty Ltd) and Sweden’s Minister for Higher Education & Research Matilda Ernkrans, among others.

We’ll also explore strategies for developing a more nuanced understanding of quality – one that takes into account the need for soundness and replicability, for better study designs and more appropriate statistical methods, for proactive ethical and critical reflection, and for more open and democratic access to scientific results.

If KI is to remain a leading medical university and societal actor, it is paramount that we continue to make space for critical reflection and open discussions about the very nature of research quality – for it is quality that provides the foundation for groundbreaking discoveries, world-class education, and the translation of evidence-based knowledge into societal benefits.

By deeply examining the factors that can threaten or strengthen the soundness of scientific research, we can begin to take greater responsibility for fostering the very best academic research practice.

Conference speakers and points:

10:00 Welcome: Astrid Söderbergh Widding, SUHF Board Chair and President, Stockholm University

10:10 Redefining the concept of medical research quality, Ole Petter Ottersen, President, Karolinska Institutet

10:20 The “reproducibility crisis” in academic research, John P.A. Ioannidis, Professor of Medicine, Co-Director, Meta-Research Innovation Center, Stanford University

 11:30 Which results can we trust? Using replications and prediction markets to assess the reliability of scientific results, Anna Dreber Almenberg, Johan Björkman Professor of Economics, Stockholm School of Economics

12:00 Challenges for basic and preclinical research, C. Glenn Begley, MD, CEO of BioCurate (via video link)

12:15 Reflections and discussion, C. Glenn Begley, Gustav Nilsonne & Carl Johan Sundberg

 13:30 Research quality from a national perspective, Matilda Ernkrans, Minister for Higher Education & Research

13:50 Panel: The multiple faces of research quality: Preconditions, hallmarks and outcomes
Moderator: Carl Johan Sundberg, Professor, KI
Agneta Bladh, Board Chair, Swedish Research Council
Sten Linnarsson, Professor, KI/MBB
Ulrica von Thiele Schwarz, Professor, MälardalenUniversity
Stefan James, Professor, Uppsala University

15:30 Panel: Strengthening the soundness of academic research
Moderator: Ole Petter Ottersen, President, KI
Astrid Söderbergh Widding, SUHF Board Chair; President, Stockholm University
John P.A. Ioannidis, Professor of Medicine, Stanford University
Anna Dreber Almenberg, Professor of Economics, Stockholm School of Economics

Article written by the main speakers:
Glenn Begley, John P.A. Ioannidis. Reproducibility in Science: Improving the Standard for Basic and Preclinical Research. Circ Res. 2015;116:116-126

Marcus R. Munafò, Brian A. Nosek, John P.A. Ioannidis et al. A manifesto for reproducible science. Nature Human Behavior. 1, 0021, 2017

Colin F. Camerer, Anna Dreber et al. Evaluating replicability of laboratory experiments in economics. Science. 25 Mar 2016: Vol. 351, Issue 6280, pp. 1433-1436

Anna Dreber Almenberg och Magnus Johannesson. Vilka forskningsresultat kan vi lita på? Ekonomisk Debatt. nr 2 2018 årgång 46

Information på svenska från SUHF:s hemsida.

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