Description

The Office of Research Integrity (ORI), under the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, offers funding to enhance the quality and integrity of biomedical and behavioral research. This grant supports projects that investigate the root causes and driving factors of research misconduct and promote research integrity. Research topics of interest include:

• Financial, cultural, institutional, and individual factors influencing research integrity, such as:

  • Institutional culture and its impact on research practices and misconduct
  • Day-to-day policies and procedures (e.g., record keeping, experimental design, bias reduction, data sharing)
  • Team dynamics, mentor/mentee relationships, and leadership styles affecting research integrity or misconduct
  • Effects of time constraints and funding pressures on misconduct

• Effectiveness of policies and training programs:

  • Randomized controlled trials assessing training impact on ethical understanding and social responsibility
  • Longitudinal analyses of policy changes and their long-term effects on research integrity

• Reporting and response mechanisms:

  • Psychological barriers to reporting misconduct and strategies to overcome them
  • Evaluation of institutional responses to misconduct allegations and their deterrent effects

Awards are made for 12-month budget periods, with a total project duration up to 24 months. Recipients must submit non-competing continuation applications for subsequent budget periods. Continuation funding depends on satisfactory progress, proper stewardship of funds, and government interests.

Eligible applicants include universities, hospitals, laboratories, public and private institutions, faith-based and community-based organizations, American Indian/Alaska Native/Native American organizations, and foreign organizations if the project benefits U.S. research integrity efforts.