In a moment of uncertainty across the research landscape, what does it mean to lead with clarity, integrity, and hope? In this episode of On Research, Dr. Josh Fessel shares insights from his experience at the NIH to unpack shifting federal priorities, growing instability, and the real risks of inaction. Together, we explore how researchers and institutions can navigate change, rebuild trust, and stay grounded in science’s core purpose: serving people. Thoughtful, timely, and ultimately hopeful—this conversation offers a roadmap for moving forward when the path isn’t clear. 

Notes: 

• Conflict Management – A CITI Program Course - https://about.citiprogram.org/course/conflict-management/ 
• On Tech Ethics – A CITI Program Podcast -  https://www.buzzsprout.com/2120643 
• CITI Program’s course catalog: https://about.citiprogram.org/course-catalog  

Technology transfer offices are increasingly on the front lines of research security—and the rules are changing fast. In this episode of On Research, we’re joined by Allen DiPalma and Kevin Wozniak from the Council on Governmental Relations (COGR) to unpack COGR’s Research Security Guidance for Technology Transfer and what it means for protecting innovation while still supporting collaboration. 

Notes: 

• Council on Governmental Relations (COGR). 2025. “Research Security Regulations: Practical Considerations for Technology Transfer Professionals.”  - https://www.cogr.edu/sites/default/files/2025-11/Research%20Security%20Regulations%20Practical%20Considerations.pdf
• Technology Transfer – A CITI Program Course - https://about.citiprogram.org/course/technology-transfer/ 
• On Campus – A CITI Program Podcast -  https://www.buzzsprout.com/1896915/ 
• CITI Program’s course catalog: https://about.citiprogram.org/course-catalog  

What does meaningful child assent really look like in research? In this episode of On Research, host Alexa McClellan speaks with Dr. David Coker about rethinking child assent beyond procedural compliance. Drawing on his recent scholarship, Dr. Coker explores gaps in current practices, regulatory tensions, inclusion of children with disabilities, and the role of IRBs in supporting assent as a developmentally appropriate, ethical process. The conversation challenges researchers to move from collecting assent as a formality to practicing it as a genuine expression of respect for children’s autonomy and voice. 
 

Notes: 

• Coker, David C, Ketaki Inamdar, Daniel F. McCleary, and Lesley Cottrell.  2025. “Child Assent Practices in Research: Improving Ethics, Decision-Making, and Inclusivity.” Journal of Educational Research & Practice. 15:1-24. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1492202.pdf 
• Qualitative Data Analysis – A CITI Program Course - https://about.citiprogram.org/course/qualitative-data-analysis/ 
• On Tech Ethics – A CITI Program Podcast -  https://www.buzzsprout.com/2120643 
• CITI Program’s course catalog: https://about.citiprogram.org/course-catalog  

When studies end abruptly, the ethical responsibilities don’t disappear. Dr. Brandon Brown joins host Alexa McClellan to examine institutional responsibility, participant protection, and research integrity when research is terminated unexpectedly—and what the end of a study reveals about trust in the research enterprise. 
 

Notes: 

• Dr. Brandon Brown. “Your Study Is Terminated: Researchers Need to Prepare Participants.” The Hastings Center for Bioethics. November 19, 2025.  https://www.thehastingscenter.org/your-study-is-terminated-researchers-need-to-prepare-participants/ 
• On Campus – A CITI Program Podcast - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1896915/
• Disaster Response and Research Reactivation – A CITI Program Course - https://about.citiprogram.org/course/disaster-response-and-research-reactivation/ 
• Dr. Brandon Brown’s CITI Program Author Page - https://about.citiprogram.org/authors/brandon-brown-mph-phd/  
• CITI Program’s course catalog: https://about.citiprogram.org/course-catalog 

In this episode of On Research, we explore how service dogs and advocacy are transforming accessibility for scientists with disability in STEM. Guests Joey Ramp-Adams and Madeline Jones share their lived experiences, discuss barriers in laboratory environments, and highlight how inclusive practices can create more equitable pathways in research. 
 

Notes: 

• Sampsons Legacy Foundation - https://sampsonslegacyfoundation.com/  
• Working with Dogs in Research Settings – A CITI Program course -  https://about.citiprogram.org/course/working-with-dogs-in-research-settings/ 
• On Tech Ethics – A CITI Program Podcast - https://www.buzzsprout.com/2120643 
• CITI Program’s course catalog: https://about.citiprogram.org/course-catalog  

As artificial intelligence accelerates its influence on medicine and science, the real challenge is no longer whether AI is worth its cost—but how we choose to use it. In this episode, Dr. Catherine Bielick and Dr. Leo Anthony Celi examine how AI is transforming biomedical research and medical education, exposing deep flaws in legacy systems while offering a chance to rethink how knowledge is created, taught, and governed. 
 

Notes: 

• On Campus – A CITI Program Podcast - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1896915/ 
• CITI Program’s course catalog: https://about.citiprogram.org/course-catalog  

In this episode of On Research, we talk with attendees, presenters, and exhibitors who were at the 2025 PRIM&R Annual Conference in Baltimore about key takeaways, emerging themes, and what this year’s conference reveals about where research and ethics compliance is headed next. 
 

Notes: 

• PRIM&R   - https://primr.org/ 
• On Tech Ethics – A CITI Program Podcast - https://www.buzzsprout.com/2120643 
• CITI Program’s course catalog: https://about.citiprogram.org/course-catalog  

In this episode of On Research, we talk with Dr. Megan LaFollette, Executive Director of the 3Rs Collaborative, about the practical applications of Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement, emerging animal model alternatives, and how federal initiatives are shaping the future of science.   
 

Notes: 

• The 3Rs Collaborative:  https://3rc.org/ 
• The 3Rs Certificate Course: https://about.citiprogram.org/course/3rs-certificate-course/ 
• On Campus – A CITI Program Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1896915/ 
• CITI Program’s course catalog: https://about.citiprogram.org/course-catalog  

In this episode, we talk with Danielle Mitchell, CEO and founder of Black Women in Clinical Research (BWICR), a professional organization dedicated to empowering, supporting, and connecting Black women working in clinical research through mentorship, networking, and career development opportunities. 
 

Notes: 

• Black Women in Clinical Research (BWICR) - https://bwicr.com/ 
• On Tech Ethics – A CITI Program Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2120643 
• CITI Program’s course catalog: https://about.citiprogram.org/course-catalog  

Guest host Dr. Anne Hawkinsbadge (CITI Program) and Dr. Regina Allen (Virginia Tech) discuss the NIH’s new requirement for Institutional Biosafety Committees (IBCs) to post approved meeting minutes online, effective June 1. They explore how institutions can comply, while also examining the role, membership, and importance of IBCs in research compliance and safety. 
 

Notes: 

• National Institutes of Health (NIH) “NOT-OD-25-082: Implementation Update: Promoting Maximal Transparency Under the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules” https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-25-082.html
• On Campus – A CITI Program Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1896915 
• CITI Program – Biosafety and Biosecurity Course Catalog https://about.citiprogram.org/courses/?fwp_series=242&fwp_sort_courses=popularity 

They outnumber us by the quintillions. They’re used in research across genetics, behavior, ecology, neuroscience—even robotics. But when it comes to ethics and welfare, insects are often left out of the conversation. Can they feel pain? What responsibilities do researchers have to them? This episode of On Research explores big ethical questions about our smallest research subjects. Our guests are Dr. Meghan Barrett (Indiana University Indianapolis) and Dr. Bob Fischer (Texas State University), co-founders of the Insect Welfare Research Society. 

For links to studies, references, and further reading, please visit the CITI Program blog - https://about.citiprogram.org/blog/on-research-podcast-navigating-the-ethics-of-insect-research-sentience-welfare-and-scientific-responsibility/

Notes: 

• Clarification at 14:32 by Barrett: There are direct connections between sensory integrative brain regions and connections from the nociceptors to the sensory integrative brain regions (but that these are, necessarily, not direct.) 
• Consistent with the Indiana University Statement of Policy on Institutional Neutrality, the comments by Barrett contained in this communication are solely her own and such comments and content are not intended to be construed, and shall not be construed, as the views of Indiana University or comments made on behalf of or by Indiana University. 

Additional resources:

• Working with Insects in Research Settings – A CITI Program Course https://about.citiprogram.org/course/working-with-insects-in-research-settings/ 
• On Tech Ethics – A CITI Program Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2120643