Educational Programs

The Office of Research Integrity and Assurance is committed to providing the highest level of education for the research community we support. To this end, we have organized and sponsored a number of educational initiatives in matters relating to Research Integrity in the conduct of human, animal, and basic scientific research, collaborating with the academic and biomedical research community at Weill Cornell Medical College, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, and its associated institutions and organizations.

Some presentations may only be accessed via the WCMC Intranet.

Fulfilling the Requirement for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR)

On November 24, 2009, the NIH updated its policy on the requirements for instruction in the responsible conduct of research. The updated policy and requirements apply to all NIH Institutional Research Training Grants, Individual Fellowship Awards, Career Development Awards (Institutional and Individual), Research Education Grants, Dissertation Research Grants, or other grant programs with a training component that requires instruction in responsible conduct of research as noted in the Funding Opportunity Announcement.

Starting January 4 2010, the NSF also requires institutions to verify that undergraduate students, graduate students, and post-doctoral researchers supported by NSF to conduct research have received training in the responsible and ethical conduct of research (RCR). More information can be found at NSF's Grantee Standards Guide.

It is important to note that the particular requirements differ somewhat based on award and application type. For example, the frequency, duration, and faculty participation in the instruction differs based on award type (e.g., institutional training, individual awards, etc), and the application procedures and reporting requirements differ based on application type (i.e., new or renewal).

WCMC offers a variety of educational programs to meet the requirements for providing formal instruction in the responsible conduct of research, which programs are open to all members of the WCMC community. The cornerstone course in the responsible conduct of research at WCMC is a comprehensive semester long course, which is offered annually in the fall. Additional detailed information about this course as well as other RCR opportunities can be found in the WCMC Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research.

Tri-Institutional Responsible Conduct of Research Course (Tri-RCR)

Every year, the Office of Research Integrity and Assurance (ORIA) conducts the Tri-Institutional Responsible Conduct of Research Program (Tri RCR) for graduate students, clinical research trainees and scholars from Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and The Rockefeller University. The curriculum includes both live sessions and an online course. Registration for the 2011 course is now available through the Blackboard system at https://blackboard.cornell.edu/. The title of the course is 2011 RCR: 2011 Responsible Conduct of Research Course. For additional information please contact the Course Director Dr. Mary Simmerling at mcs2006@med.cornell.edu.

Mary Simmerling, PhD
(212) 746-4809
mcs2006@med.cornell.edu

Kristen Cullen
The Rockefeller University
Graduate Admissions Administrator & Registrar
(212) 327-8086
cullenk@rockefeller.edu

Debra Schaller-Demers, MSOM
MSKCC
Director, Research Outreach and Compliance (ROC)
RCR Course Director
(646) 227-2282
schalled@mskcc.org

2011 Tri-RCR Live Session Dates
All sessions will be in Uris Auditorium, 1300 York Avenue, from 3 - 5 pm
September 22, 2011:
 Topic: Lab Safety: Continuing and Emerging Challenges
Erik A. Talley, M.S.
Director, Environmental Health and Safety
Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University
October 27, 2011:
Topic: Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research
Josephine Johnston, Ph.D.
Research Scholar
Director of Research Operations
The Hastings Center
November 17, 2011:
 Topic: Ethical Issues in Translational Research: From Bench to Bedside and Everything in Between
Mary Simmerling, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Public Health
Research Integrity Officer
Director, Responsible Conduct of Research
Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University
December 15, 2011:
 Topic: Ethics in the Academy
Cornell President Dr. David Skorton will moderate a panel discussion of a challenging research ethics case.

Tri-RCR 2008 & 2009 Course Schedules


Research Coordinators' Network

The Research Coordinators' Network is an educational and networking opportunity for the WCMC research community. The group meets monthly and provides the WCMC research coordinator community with timely updates on a variety of Research Integrity and compliance related issues. In 2008, the RCN conducted several successful videoconference broadcasts in collaboration with the Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas.

View Recent Presentations

Mary Simmerling, PhD
(212) 746-4809
mcs2006@med.cornell.edu

"Ethical, Social, and Legal Issues of Responsible Clinical Research" (K-30 RCR)

Every year, the Office of Research Integrity and Assurance designs and directs the course "Ethical, Social, and Legal Issues of Responsible Clinical Research" for students in the K-30 Masters and Certificate Program in Clinical Research. K-30 students take the Fall Tri RCR course (see above) and attend five 2-hour summer seminar sessions on topics related to Research Integrity.

View Course Presentations

Mary Simmerling, PhD
(212) 746-4809
mcs2006@med.cornell.edu

Conferences

The 1st Annual Research Integrity and Compliance Conference was organized and hosted by the Office of Research Integrity and Assurance in 2008. The inaugural program was directed to executive administrators from a number of biomedical research institutions throughout the NYC metropolitan area. The conference covered a range of timely issues, including financial conflicts of interest, bioterrorism, drug accountability, and research misconduct.

View Conference Presentations

Mary Simmerling, PhD
(212) 746-4809
mcs2006@med.cornell.edu

Topic-Specific Presentations

The Office of Research Integrity and Assurance has developed and presented a number of topic-specific educational presentations for a variety of audiences across the Weill Cornell Medical College campus.

Milda Plioplys
(646) 962-8190
mip2018@med.cornell.edu

Related Links