Research Ethics

What is responsible conduct of research for HDR candidates?

Answer ID 3544 | Last updated on 01/02/2024 09.37 AM

Research must be designed to respect the welfare, safety, privacy, and dignity of human subjects and to avoid unnecessary pain and suffering to animal subjects. The University and Researchers must comply with —

  1. The Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research;
  2. Research protocols as approved by a relevant Ethics Committee.

Research involving people, animals, or Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), must be reviewed and approved first. Research Integrity Advisors can assist Researchers on these subjects: 

  1. Human Research Ethics "Working with people" even includes simple things like making observations about people; surveys; interviews; and focus groups;
  2. Animal Ethics "Working with animals" means lab animals and wildlife, vertebrates (including fish), cephalopods (e.g. octopus and squid), and decapods (e.g. crayfish); and
  3. Biosafety reviews GMOs (including modified plans, animals, microorganisms, and viruses) and bio-hazardous material (e.g. blood, viruses, prions, mutagens, and teratogens), and also biosecurity (formerly called "quarantine", e.g. bringing plants, animals, and soil into WA).

Each of these requires reviews, usually by an ethics committee —

  1. Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) — via Human Ethics Office (6488 4703; humanethics@uwa.edu.au);
  2. Animal Ethics Committee (AEC) — via Animal Ethics Office (6488 7887; aeo@uwa.edu.au);
  3. Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) — via Biosafety Office (6488 4701; biosafety@uwa.edu.au).

There are additional reviews required for radiological and nuclear materials, and hazardous chemicals. Refer such inquiries to — Safety, Heath and Wellbeing (6488 3938; safety@uwa.edu.au).

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