The Reproducibility Crisis in Historical Perspective | Nicole C. Nelson || Radcliffe Institute | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

The reproducibility crisis in preclinical research is a long-standing issue that has recently gained attention. While scientists are aware of the problem, the crisis is still hidden in plain sight due to a lack of vocabulary to talk about uncertainty and power dynamics in the lab.

Transcript

[MUSIC PLAYING] - Thank you, Meredith. And a big thank you to everyone at the Radcliffe. As you can tell from this lovely introduction, this has just been an enormously supportive and wonderful place in which for me to start this new research project. And I'm also really happy to have this venue to share with you today some of the results of this r... Read More

Key Insights

• 👨‍🔬 The reproducibility crisis in preclinical research is not a recent phenomenon but has gained attention in recent years.
• 😘 Pharmaceutical companies' studies have highlighted the low reproducibility rates in preclinical research, raising concerns about the reliability of scientific findings.
• ✊ Externalizing narratives and a focus on truth and falsity hinder the discussion of uncertainty and power dynamics within the lab.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the reproducibility crisis?

The reproducibility crisis refers to the difficulty or impossibility of replicating scientific studies, leading to a lack of confidence in research findings.

Q: What did the studies by Amgen and Bayer show?

The studies by Amgen and Bayer revealed low rates of reproducibility in preclinical research, suggesting that many scientific findings may not hold true upon replication.

Q: Why is the reproducibility crisis hidden in plain sight?

The crisis is hidden because there is a lack of vocabulary to discuss uncertainty and power dynamics in the lab. Scientists often externalize the problem, focusing on truth and falsity instead of examining internal factors such as biases and power differentials.

Q: What are some solutions proposed for the reproducibility crisis?

Proposed solutions include better mentoring and supervision, improved teaching of research methods, more time for mentoring, and incentives for better research practices. However, addressing power differentials within the lab is crucial to effectively tackle the crisis.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The reproducibility crisis refers to the phenomenon where research findings are difficult or impossible to reproduce, leading to a loss of confidence in scientific results.

• Pharmaceutical companies, such as Amgen and Bayer, have published studies showing low reproducibility rates for preclinical research, raising concerns about the validity of scientific findings.

• A lack of vocabulary to discuss uncertainty and power dynamics in the lab makes the crisis hidden in plain sight, with externalizing narratives and a focus on truth and falsity dominating the discourse.