It is essential for each research institution to have a written policy statement describing the quality practices to be applied by all personnel in the conduct of experimental work, irrespective of its nature. This statement need not be lengthy it could for example just refer to this document. The policy statement would be supported by written guidelines outlining responsibilities at the different organizational levels. The administration (director) of the organization should be visibly and fully supportive of these measures, and should implement mechanisms for their application, exercising at least some level of control over them.

The organization’s administration should ensure that the responsibilities of staff at all levels are defined and documented in job descriptions. Aspects to be considered are: scientific field of activity, practical duties, supervisory duties/delegation, administrative and financial responsibilities, communication, and keeping knowledge and skills up to date. There must be sufficient financial support for education and training activities. While it is important to ensure that all staff is knowledgeable and well versed in the relevant quality aspects of experimental work, including planning, recording and reporting, this is especially relevant for tutors, students and postdoctoral fellows in university settings. These staff members should be responsible for full application of the quality practices required by the institution and should not deviate from these. This requirement also holds for any institution where new staffs are employed on a temporary, project-related basis. Qualifications and training should be adequate for the activities that each person is to carry out. At the time of recruitment, management should verify the authenticity of the qualifications documented in the curriculum vitae (CV) by, for example, contacting named referees or checking on publications. While at the institution, staff may become further qualified through a structured course of study and may be awarded a diploma or degree from a recognized academic institution. These qualifications must be suitable for the type of research envisaged and should be documented in the person’s CV, be verifiable and kept up to date.

Training is necessary for all staff (at all levels) to prepare them for using specialized or new techniques. Such training should be offered routinely; it will help to keep the general level of expertise at the research institution up to date. Remember that training should be completed before practical activities start. This training should also be documented in separate training records held by the institution. The research institution’s administration is responsible for providing facilities of suitable size, construction and location, and for providing suitable equipment to meet the requirements of the research programme and its individual studies. Fulfilling the requirements of the study does not necessarily mean that state-of-the-art constructions or equipment have to be provided. Instead, the institution’s administration, in cooperation with the leader of the research group or the principal scientist, must carefully consider the objectives of the research programme, including its individual component studies, and decide how to achieve these with the facilities and equipment available in the local environment.

Best Regards,
Nicola B
Editorial Manager
Journal of Biochemistry & Biotechnology