Insightful workshop on ethics and research integrity with Prof. Xavier Coumoul – An initiative by the EDT-BCMB

On April 22, 2025, the FNRS Graduate School in Cellular and Molecular Biology, and Biochemistry (EDT-BCMB) invited Xavier Coumoul, Professor of Toxicology and Biochemistry at Université Paris Cité, for a half-day dedicated to ethics and research integrity. Hosted at the UNamur, the event brought together fifty researchers – PhD students, postdoctoral fellows and PIs – from universities of the FWB (UCLouvain, ULB, ULiège, UMons and UNamur). 

The morning opened with a keynote lecture by Prof. Xavier Coumoul entitled “Science on the Edge: The Perils and Ethics of Research Integrity”. This was followed by an engaging workshop that explored the fundamental principles of ethics and research integrity. This interactive session addressed key challenges and highlighted best practices to ensure ethical research conduct. In small groups, participants were invited to discuss a variety of topics, such as the definitions of ethics and integrity, the distinction between equality and equity, the impact of the "publish or perish" culture and how pressure can encourage research misconduct. They also examined the business side of scientific publishing, with a focus on predatory journals and conferences, and practiced identifying misconduct through case studies of data manipulation and image forensics, with examples from experts like Elisabeth Bik and platforms such as PubPeer. 

The workshop provided a valuable opportunity for reflection and dialogue, and equipped researchers with tools and strategies to maintain high ethical standards in their work.

Presentation slides:

LECTURE | Science on the Edge: The Perils and Ethics of Research Integrity - Authors : Claude Forest, Jacques Haiech, Xavier Coumoul

WORKSHOP | Science Under Scrutiny: The Dos and Don’ts of Ethical Research