Collaborative Research
Conduct collaborative research projects to remove systemic barriers and catalyze translation
The reproducibility of preclinical research is a major concern for researchers worldwide. Sources of irreproducible results have been attributed to four major categories: biological reagents and reference materials, study design, data analysis and reporting, and laboratory protocols. To our knowledge, the reproducibility of preclinical experiments typically conducted by translational scientists have never been systematically investigated. We are leading the first–ever HTS reproducibility study termed the “Ring Testing Program.” All participants are utilizing identical reagents and protocols supplied by NCATS to perform luciferase biochemical assays. While the assays are known to be robust, a number of other factors could affect reproducibility, such as instrumentation, consumables, and data analysis procedures. The study has been carefully designed to identify sources of variations among participating centers. The results of this important study will be widely disseminated to improve the reliability of translational research practices.
