THE ROLE OF ETHICS IN RESEARCH- Mutual Learning Evening

Save the date: 19th October

On the eve of Global Ethics Day, our partners at the University of Primorska will be hosting an evening of ethics! Discussing the role of ethics in research . This event will consist of two parts:

• From 16:00 the University of Primorska will lead a Mutual Learning Workshop for members of the ResBios Project.
• From 18:00 the University will host an open lecture on the current role of ethics in research, with a presentation from associate professor and senior research fellow, Tomaž Grušovnik.

This open lecture will discuss the role of ethics in research, with a particular focus on ethical methodologies and the justifiably expected results of ethical analysis.

In addition to this, Tomaž will briefly explain three general moral paradigms – utilitarianism, rule ethics, and virtue ethics, and will discuss how these ideas relate to modern reseach, and to environmental and animal ethics (land ethics and deep ecology), as well as a brief mention on the emphasis on willful ignorance.

Special attention will be dedicated to different models of professional attitudes at workplace (paternalistic, technical, cooperative, and friendly) and the web of main stakeholders in ethical judgement will be briefly presented (subjects, researchers, data, community).

To attend the open lecture on the 19th Oct at 18:00, please click here to register.

Deadline for registration is 12.00 CET on Oct 18th.

About the lecturer:

Tomaž Grušovnik is an associate professor and senior research fellow at the University of Primorska. His main areas of interest are ethics and the philosophy of education. He was a visiting Fulbright colleague at the University of New Mexico and a guest lecturer at the University of Oslo. During 2018-2020 he served as the president of the Slovenian Philosophical Society. He has written several books on his topics of interest and co-edited Environmental and Animal Abuse Denial (Lexington, 2020).

More information please contact either Laura Iacolina (laura.iacolina@famnit.upr.si) or comms@resbios.eu

Resbios Policy Brief – Mutual Learning for RRI in Biosciences

After careful review, the team at Resbios is proud to share with you our Policy Brief No1. We hope to bring on changes in the field of Biosciences using the RRI framework, connecting research and the whole society. A mutual learning approach is proposed.

Have a flick through the virtual pages, to learn more about the ResBios project, what the quadruple helix is and how we use it to share RRI best practices, and the changing relationships between science and society.

ResBios Open Dialogue: Gender & Career development versus COVID 19

Over the past year and a half, the way we have all lived and worked has changed drastically. For many of us, we have been lucky enough to keep working throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, although most of this work has moved to an online platform. Some of us might have struggled to adapt to begin with, but most of us have been able to transition to this new way of working, and as we start to lift covid-restrictions, it is becoming increasingly apparent that some form of home-working will persist beyond the pandemic.

However, what has been the impact of this move out of the office for long term career development? And has this had an effect on gender equality in the workplace? Have old fashioned gender stereotypes and perceived roles of women in the household held women back while working at home? And how might this impact the field of bioscience?

These are some of the questions we hope to address at our next ResBios Open Dialogue Webinar: “Gender & Career development versus COVID 19”

Save the date: May 28,2021- 15:00-16:30 CEST

Register here!: Fill in the form

ResBios is an EU-funded project which strives to implement innovative strategies based on the Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) framework in the field of Bioscience. One of the major pillars of RRI is addressing gender inequality, and through these Open Dialogue events ResBios will discuss these issues and encourage change in research institutes across Europe and beyond.

This webinar will be presented by Resbios partners; the University of Gdansk and EUSEA,

Speakers:

Prof. Natasza Kosakowska-Berezecka– Associate Professor in the Division of Cross-Cultural Psychology and Psychology of Gender at the University of Gdańsk

and

Dr Magdalena Żadkowska – PhD, assistant professor in Institute of Sociology at the University of Gdańsk

Moderated by Chris Styles – Project Officer for ResBios and EUSEA

If you are interested in attending the webinar on May 28, at 15:00-16:30 (CEST) please click here to register.

More information: comms@resbios.eu

Short course about Current Opportunities and Perspectives of Bioinformatics

The discovery of the structure of DNA occurred almost 70 years ago. Now scientists are able not only to decipher the structure of genes, but also to predict the function of each gene, their sequences, edit them and create new ones. All this became possible due to the development of computer technology and the emergence of a new direction in science – bioinformatics. Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary field that requires an understanding of both programming and biology. Bioinformatics is a science that analyzes molecular biological data. Such data can be genome sequences, protein structures, data on how genes work, in which tissues which genes are expressed and which are “silent”. This may be data on regulatory or protein-protein interactions. All this must be analyzed, and not just analyzed, but to make meaningful biological conclusions that are clear and interesting to classical biologists.

In biology, medicine and basic science, primarily to determine the sequence of DNA (genome), RNA (transcript – gene expression) and proteins (proteomes). The human genome allows us to approach not only the understanding of general biological and molecular processes in the body, but also to understand the individual differences between each person at the DNA level – it will help select effective drugs and treatment strategies for a particular person, diet and lifestyle, preventive examination plan, etc.
Bioinformatics is actively used to find the genetic causes of diseases. This helps to make an accurate diagnosis and prevent the development of the disease in carriers of potentially dangerous mutations. And with the development of DNA editing technologies, this will eliminate the causes of disease. Bioinformatics is also used to develop drugs that help conduct experiments on the computer, accelerating the discovery and production of the most effective pharmacological products.
The rapid progress of the biological sciences lays the groundwork for revolutionary changes in the treatment of various pathologies (malignant neoplasms, neurodegenerative and autoimmune diseases, cardiopathology, etc.).

The team of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv is involved in the implementation and is the leader of the work package of the project “RRI in Education”. An important step in the implementation of the tasks of this work package of the project is the dissemination of knowledge about the latest trends in biology, in particular such areas as bioinformatics. Professor of the Department of Genetics and Biotechnology (Ivan Franko National University of Lviv) Bohdan Ostash is a well-known specialist in the field of bioinformatics and molecular genetics, so his knowledge and research experience is an inexhaustible source of scientific information not only for specialists in the field of bioinformatics, but also for the society. Therefore, his “Short course on current opportunities and perspectives of bioinformatics as a science” will be an important contribution to the dissemination of scientific knowledge among students, researchers and ordinary citizens interested in the achievements of modern biology. Do not miss your chance to hear about interesting facts and achievements of bioinformatics as a modern field of biological science. Do not forget to connect to meeting tomorrow using link:

More information: comms@resbios.eu

ResBios Open Dialogues
Science communication with a Gender
Perspective: what does this really mean? A closer look into biosciences

Mentoring, role models, networking, gender-inclusive programmes, are all measures that have been put in practice to foster and support the presence, inclusion and career development of women in science and technology. For the last 20 years, we have been moving and achieving milestones regarding women in science, gender equality, gender biases, and lately, gendered innovation.

But, what do we communicate when we communicate science? How do we do it and where? Whom are we addressing? Isn’t the system the reason and consequence of inequities? How do we communicate this and moreover, what can science communication do to tackle these deficiencies and encourage inclusion for the greater good?

In a social endeavour as science, considered as based on merits, competences and creativity, it’s imperative to reflect, talk and take action in order to tackle the equality distortions and injustice. The way we communicate science plays a key role in this.

Save the date: January 28,2021- 15:00-16:30 CET

Register here!: Fill in the form

Speakers:

Helena González and Oriol Marimón, Big Van Ciencia, Barcelona, Spain: Breaking scientific stereotypes in representations through scenic arts

Marianne Achiam, Carmen Fenollosa: What we know so far about communicating STEM with a Gender perspective

Janire Salazar, ICM, Spain: Learnings from the last 5 years of implementing structural changes

Gabriel León, Bioscientist and Science Communicator: Mainstream media science communication with a gender perspective: reflections from the ground

Moderator: Annette Klinkert, EUSEA Executive Director

ResBios is an EU-funded project that thrives for grounding innovative strategies based on the RRI framework.

Triggering RRI-oriented changes in research organizations in the Biosciences

The Detailed Design of the Grounding Actions (GAs) foreseen in the RESBIOS project has been recently finalized. They will be implemented by 4 Research Performing Organizations (RPOs) who are going to implement for the first time RRI oriented actions. For this reason, we also define “beginners”. The 15 GAs are aimed at practicing RRI through specific activities focused on one of the 5 RRI keys (Education, Ethics, Gender, Open Access, Public Engagement).

The “beginners” have been assisted in preparing their GAs by the other RESBIOS partners, who already have a specific experience in this field. Such assistance will continue for the rest of the project through many activities, including mutual learning and various forms of mentoring.The 15 GAs are reported below:

With the finalization of the detailed design of the GAs, the preparation phase of RESBIOS (the so-called “co-reflexive strand”) is concluded. It was aimed at promoting a reflection within the RPOs about the needs for the promotion of RRI and about the ways in which the GAs could be better specified. Not just internal actors (other researchers within the RPOs, students, etc.) were involved but also external actors, who will cooperate in different ways to the implementation of the GAs.

The RESBIOS project is now in the implementation phase (the so-called “pro-active strand”) meaning that the focus will be mainly on carrying out the foreseen activities, and on the various related problems and opportunities.

Implementing RRI oriented GAs means triggering a process of change that has to be not only monitored and executed, but also understood and directed. As a matter of fact, the ultimate objective of RESBIOS is to root RRI within Beginners’ RPOs. This is a challenging objective.

Producing RRI oriented change implies the initiation of new practices or the systematization within the organizations of practices that are already implemented informally. Consequently, an effective implementation implies also changing current routines, habitus and worldviews. The “beginners”, while implementing the GAs, will have to take care of the effects they are producing within their organizations and in the relations with the external stakeholders. This is not that easy, since it consists of an interdisciplinary endeavour in which diverse actors, both within the scientific community and outside it, have to cooperate. An effort, therefore, will be requested to produce consensus over the problems to be addressed and on new ways of cooperation among actors which they are not used to. Furthermore, RRI also implies new forms of cooperation among scientists aimed at shaping research and innovation activities so that they are more responsible toward society.

Facing the challenge of change requires cooperation in a self-reflection on the concept of RRI. To facilitate the production of the expected enduring effects within beginners’ organizations, by the mid of the project a further phase will begin. It is named “institutional strand”. All along the project duration, the partners will carry out several Mutual Learning activities aimed at exchanging experiences and point of views. Furthermore, RESBIOS foresees a 16th GA aimed at the creation of a network to support those who want to practice RRI in the Biosciences.

The ResBios 1st Mutual Learning Workshop

The ResBios project aims to root RRI practices in some research organizations in the field of biosciences, through specific Grounding Actions (GAs) aimed at fostering institutional changes. To do that, taken as a whole, ResBios intends to create a mutual learning (ML) environment.

Why the ML is important for the project? Today science as an institution is changing and receives more social pressure. Biosciences are at the core of all that, as one can easily see in this Covid-19 period. RRI is one of the possible ways to have some control – governance – over this change. But putting in practice RRI, and fostering real institutional changes, is a complex problem within a complex context. Today there is growing awareness that complex problems and challenges, where individuals cannot cope, can be better faced by learning all together: discussing, collaborating, exchanging information and knowledge about existing risks and opportunities.

Mutual Learning in ResBios will mainly take place through some types of activities, coordinated by UNITOV: working groups to deep RRI keys and dimensions; formative evaluation activities; annual Mutual Learning Workshops (MLWs), to bridge the different phases of the project.

ML activities foster a participative laboratory, that is a continuous process of action, dialogue, discovery, reflection, learning, re-action and re-learning among partners. ML is also a tool to gradually promote greater awareness of the issues related to the implementation of RRI GAs, empowerment of the ResBios partners, a reflection on the role of the researcher within the relationship between science and society today.

Besides the partners, various Quadruple Helix stakeholders will gradually be involved in this process, in view of the creation of an International Network for Responsible Biosciences, adopting an inter- and trans-disciplinary approach, as possible. The first MLW was organized online on October 26, at the end of a co-design phase, when the GAs have been planned. The aim was to build awareness of RRI institutional change. The core was a general reflection on the RRI approach, adopting a problem-setting spirit: first understand which are the challenges, then cope with!

During the first MLW, a presentation of the 15 Grounding Actions was made by the four implementing partners from Ukraine (IFNUL), Spain (CSIC), Croatia (UNIZG-FAZ) and Greece (DUTH), and a discussion was launched by K&I on some emerging critical themes and issues related to the GAs implementation. The “experienced partners” (that is those who participated in a previous RRI project in the field of biosciences, and for this reason have a role of mentors in ResBios) briefly presented their experience, then coordinated some working groups on relevant topics for the implementation of RRI GAs, that is: team building (UP); mobilization of actors (ABI/UNITOV); communication and visibility of the actions (UBREMEN, in collaboration with EUSEA); networking and relations with Quadruple Helix actors (UG). The role of the partners was discussed and the detailed planning of Mutual Learning activities was also launched.

Institut de Ciències del Mar launches campaign to foster change towards Gender equality

The Institut de Ciènces del Mar, part of the Spanish Council for Science and Technology, and member of the ResBios Consortium, reinforced their commitment with Gender Equality in Research and Innovation by launching a new online campaign. Follow their feeds and information tips in Twitter #ICMforequality and #committedtogenderring.

They are also part of Life Sciences Community of Practice in Gender, a network that aims to share relevant knowledge, strengthen collaborations and foster the use of Gender Budgeting as a strategic element to broaden awareness and practices against gender-biased policies and actions.
Let´s stay tuned to the activities and news ICM is sharing!

The infographic explains the journey that began in 2007 with the Gender Equality Plan in Scientific Careers.

More information: comms@resbios.eu