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Good Laboratory Practice – Selected Aspects

- The problem

- A case study

- Consequences

Roland Brandt, Departmental Seminar, 31.5.2016

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The problem: Many preclinical studies cannot be reproduced

Begley, C.G. & Ellis, L. M. (2012). Raise standards for preclinical cancer research. Nature, 483, 531-533.

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Freedman L.P., et al. 2015. The economics of reproducibility in preclinical research. PLoS Biol.

13:e1002165.

The problem: Many preclinical studies cannot be reproduced

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Freedman L.P., et al. 2015. The economics of reproducibility in preclinical research. PLoS Biol.

13:e1002165.

Massive waste of ressources

The problem: Many preclinical studies cannot be reproduced

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The problem: Many preclinical studies cannot be reproduced

Deformation of the scientific enterprise

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7 Begley, C.G. & Ellis, L. M. (2012). Raise standards for preclinical cancer research. Nature,

483:531-533.

The problem: Many preclinical studies cannot be reproduced

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A case study: Jens Schwamborn

2007: PhD at the University of Münster (Laboratory of Prof. Püschel), then

Postdoc in the lab of the stem cell researcher Jürgen Knoblich (Institute

of Molecular Biotechnology, Vienna) then return as group leader to

Münster

2013: Professorship at the „University of Luxembourg“

2013: In post-publication-peer-review sites such as PubPeer and PubMed

Commons „aberrations“ are noted in several publications

2014: EMBO Journal publishes retraction note

(Schwamborn et al. (2007) EMBO J.

26:1410-22)

2015: J. Biol. Chem. publishes retraction note

(Schwamborn et al. (2007) J. Biol. Chem.

282:35259-68)

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The authors declared that they cannot find the original data any longer.

(Laborjournal 1-2, 2015)

An investigation by the DFG came to the conclusion that

- data were manipulated,

- scientific misconduct took place,

- original data could not be relocated.

Prof. Schwamborn (PhD student at that time) was banned for applying for DFG grants

for one year (03/2014 – 03/2015).

Prof. Püschel (group leader at that time) was criticized for gross negligence of

supervisory duty and inadequate instructions by an experienced scientist.

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Consequences

From time point of publication (Dr. G. Sponholz, 10.03.16)

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• Lecture-Good laboratory practice-RB-2016

• DFG-Safeguarding Good Scientific Practice

• UOS-Richtlinien Gute Wissenschaftliche Praxis

• Best Practices for Preclinical Research in Neuroscience-Neuron 2014

common server (“Good scientific practice”)