Ensuring Research Integrity - Research on Research Integrity (RRI)

The Office of Research Integrity (ORI) seeks to enhance the quality and integrity of biomedical and behavioral research through the support of projects aimed at understanding the factors that affect research integrity. We seek applications to conduct social and behavioral research focusing on the identification of the root causes of research misconduct and driving factors for research integrity to promote a culture of transparency, accountability, and trust in research. The projects funded under this opportunity should aim to research any combination of the factors below:1) Explore the financial, cultural, institutional, and individual factors: Studying the impact of institutional culture on research practices and misconduct, with a focus on fostering environments that prioritize ethical conduct and openness. Studying the day-to-day policies and procedures, such as record keeping, experimental design, bias reducing techniques, and data sharing in research institutions and their impact on research misconduct, with an emphasis on how they can be optimized to reinforce research integrity. Examining the influence of team dynamics and leadership styles in fostering research integrityExamining the influence of team dynamics, mentor/mentee relationship, and leadership styles that lead to detrimental research practices and/or research misconductExamining how time constraints and funding needs influence research misconduct 2) Assess the effectiveness of policies and training: Conducting randomized controlled trials to test the impact of training programs on researchers' understanding and application of ethical standards as well as social responsibilityAnalyzing longitudinal data to evaluate the long-term effects of policy changes on research integrity to foster an open and honest research culture3) Investigate reporting and response mechanismsStudying the psychological barriers to reporting misconduct with the goal of developing strategies to overcome them and encourage transparencyResearching the effectiveness of different institutional responses to allegations of misconduct and their impact on deterring future issues, ensuring that responses reinforce a commitment to integrity and accountability. We expect to fund awards in 12-month budget periods for a total period of performance up to 24 months. Recipients must submit a non-competing continuation (NCC) application for each budget period after the first. Continuation funding is contingent upon the availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the project, appropriate stewardship of federal funds, and the best interests of the government. Funding for all approved budget periods after the first is generally the same as the initial award amount subject to any offset with funds unused in the previous budget period. Universities, hospitals, laboratories, other public or private institutions, and individuals are eligible to apply for an award under this opportunity. Eligible entities include faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, and American Indian/Alaska Native/Native American (AI/AN/NA) organizations. Eligible entities include foreign organizations and foreign components of domestic organizations, if the proposed activity provides a domestic benefit, such as promoting research integrity among PHS-funded institutions both within the U.S. and abroad.