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Improving Experimental Reproducibility in the Life Sciences

Nov.01,2016

SLS Research Seminar

Talk Title: Improving Experimental Reproducibility in the Life Sciences

Speaker:Vivian Siegel

Senior Editorial Advisor, Bio-protocol

Time: 10:00-11:00 am, Nov. 29th (Tuesday)

Venue: Room 101, New Life Sciences Building, PKU

Host: Hong Wu(62754055)

Abstract:
The lack of reproducibility in life science research is a major problem with significant impact on scientific progress and the development of effective new treatments for human disease. Key contributors to research reproducibility include the sharing of detailed peer-reviewed protocols and the unique identification of reagents, features that have been sorely lacking from most life science research articles. For example, one recent study revealed that 54% of materials used in an experiment are not uniquely identifiable across a broad range of the life sciences literature, regardless of field of study, impact factor, or journal reporting requirements (PeerJ, 2013). Dr. Vivian Siegel, the Senior Editorial Advisor of Bio-protocol (www.bio-protocol.org), will explain Bio-protocol’s mission to tackle this problem. Bio-protocol is an open access, peer-reviewed e-journal that specializes in curating high
quality life science protocols. Its goal is to identify important protocols across life science research and work with authors to develop and publish reproducible versions of their protocols. With excellent support from the life science community, Bio-protocol has already published more than 1,500 protocols from over 3,500 authors, with more than 450 active reviewers. And this is
only the beginning. Dr. Siegel will make the case for why you should join the movement and submit your high quality life science protocols to Bio-protocol.

Bio:
Dr. Vivian Siegel is currently the Senior Editorial Advisor at Bio-protocol (http://www.bio-protocol.org/ab.aspx). She has a keen interest in research reproducibility. In addition, she holds academic appointments at Vanderbilt University (Adjunct Research Professor of Medicine) and MIT (Lecturer), and consults with several nonprofits, including the Global Biological Standards Institute
(GBSI), which she serves as their Director of Education and Training. Dr. Vivian Siegel has accumulated decades of experience in scientific publishing. She joined the staff of Cell as senior editor in 1994, and succeeded Benjamin Lewin as editor-in-chief in 1999. While at Cell Press, she helped launch Molecular Cell, Developmental Cell, and Cancer Cell, and served as the editor-in-chief of Cell, Molecular Cell, and Developmental Cell (all at the same time). She left Cell Press to lead Public Library of Science as its founding Executive Director and one of the launch editors of PLOS Biology. In addition, she was also involved in the launches of many other leading scientific journals including PLOS Medicine, the PLOS Community journals, and Disease Models and Mechanisms.

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