Designing, conducting, and reporting reproducible animal experiments.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical research
• Scientific methodology

Background:

• Growing concerns exist regarding the reproducibility of research findings across various scientific fields.
• Inability to replicate results questions the validity and utility of published research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engage researchers on the issue of research reproducibility.
• To provide tools and strategies for enhancing research reproducibility.
• To highlight the benefits of reproducible research for individuals and the scientific community.

Main Methods:

• Review of causes and impact of non-reproducible research.
• Identification of targets for improvement and practical steps for researchers.
• Recommendations for experimental design, conduct, and reporting, with a focus on in vivo animal experiments.
• Discussion of open research practices, data management, and sharing.

Main Results:

• Common sources of poor experimental validity identified.
• Practical guidance offered to limit bias in experimental design and conduct.
• Key resources for improving experimental design, conduct, and reporting listed.
• Emphasis on open science practices like preregistration and preprints.

Conclusions:

• Reproducible work is essential for scientific progress.
• Individual researchers are empowered to contribute to research reproducibility.
• Adoption of discussed strategies can enhance the reliability of scientific outcomes.