About

Responsible Research

VIB strives to perform its research activities in the most responsible and ethical manner. To support this, VIB has formulated a policy on Responsible Research. In this policy, the following key areas of attention have been elaborated in more detail: 

  • Doing research in a safe manner
  • Legal compliance
  • Dealing with bioethical issues responsibly
  • Applying high integrity standards
  • Accountability
  • Awareness about and responsiveness to societal issues

More information on how these different concepts are being substantiated and what practical guidance VIB has developed for this, can be read in the brochure Responsible VIB Research.

Safety

The VIB research centers and units are embedded in the facilities of the partner universities of VIB. The institutional safety and environmental policies are therefore guided by the policies of these universities. In addition to the university tools and procedures, VIB has developed additional guidelines, tools and procedures for general safety and biosafety.

The brochures Safety@work and Biosafety in the Laboratory provide practical and background information for those who start to work in the VIB laboratories.

Legal compliance

Procedures are in place to ensure legal compliance with relevant regulatory frameworks that apply to the VIB research activities.

Bioethical issues

The use of humans, human material, human data and animals triggers important bioethical issues. It is very important to deal with these issues responsibly. VIB researchers strictly follow legal and other requirements, assure proper information, and obtain all necessary ethical approvals prior to starting such work. The processing of personal data is done in full compliance with the applicable privacy legislation including the application of strict access and security measures.

Integrity

VIB strives to perform its research while observing the highest standards of integrity and responsibility. Quality, objectivity and honesty prevail and VIB provides training that serves to support high quality, integer scientific research. 

There are specific guidelines for authorship of scientific papers, for appropriate scientific image manipulation, and a policy and procedures on conflicts of interest. There are also procedures in place for handling alleged cases of scientific misconduct. 

True suspicion of scientific misconduct must be notified to the VIB research integrity officer, René Custers (rene.custers@vib.be). Alleged cases of misconduct will be treated in close collaboration with the relevant partner university and with the greatest care, with due respect for the privacy, all other rights, and integrity of both the person reporting and the person accused of misconduct. VIB is a member of the Flemish Committee on Scientific Integrity (links to page in Dutch). If a case of scientific misconduct has been concluded by VIB and one of the parties involved is not satisfied with the outcome of this case, then this party has a right to ask for a second opinion by the VCWI. 

Societal issues

The research activities of VIB do not take place in a vacuum and VIB attaches great value to its researchers being aware of and responsive to societal issues. This is also one of the reasons why VIB is an active participant to societal debates related to different life sciences technologies. The communication department of VIB also supports this debate through Facts Series, a set of brochures and other documents that provide relevant background information on scientific research. VIB also values interaction with important stakeholder groups and this is why VIB has for instance organised events in which specific patient groups have met and discussed with VIB scientists performing research on the disease by which these patients have been affected.