MUSC Postdoctoral Retreat on the MUSC Postdoctoral Retreat on the Responsible Conduct of ResearchResponsible Conduct of Research

““Data Management, Data Selection, Data Management, Data Selection, and Reporting Research”and Reporting Research”

Ed KrugEd KrugCRI607CRI607

792-1543792-1543krugel@musc.edu

12/11/09

Why is data management important?Why is data management important?• Document observations - don’t trust your memory!Document observations - don’t trust your memory!• ReproducibilityReproducibility• TroubleshootingTroubleshooting• Organization of thoughtsOrganization of thoughts• Maintain focusMaintain focus• paperspapers• presentationspresentations• funding applicationsfunding applications

• Communication with mentorCommunication with mentor• Mandated by funding agency (NIH - 3 yrs post-final Mandated by funding agency (NIH - 3 yrs post-final

financial statement)financial statement)• May analyze data differently in the futureMay analyze data differently in the future• ancillary observationsancillary observations• differences in probes/reagentsdifferences in probes/reagents• alternative statisticsalternative statistics

Essential Content for a Laboratory NotebookEssential Content for a Laboratory Notebook• Bound pagesBound pages• Date each experimentDate each experiment• Number every page - index in frontNumber every page - index in front• Relevant sections - title, purpose, materials & Relevant sections - title, purpose, materials &

methods, results, conclusions, notesmethods, results, conclusions, notes• Initiated before conducting the experimentInitiated before conducting the experiment• Include lot numbers of reagents Include lot numbers of reagents • Cross-referenced to computer files, such as those Cross-referenced to computer files, such as those

for imagesfor images• Cross-referenced with collaborator’s notebook if Cross-referenced with collaborator’s notebook if

joint experiment?joint experiment?• University property - stays with PIUniversity property - stays with PI

Lab Notebook LayoutLab Notebook Layout• INDEXED & PAGES NUMBERED!!INDEXED & PAGES NUMBERED!!• Date and titleDate and title• PurposePurpose• RationaleRationale• Materials and MethodsMaterials and Methods• DataData• CalculationsCalculations• Interpretation of the dataInterpretation of the data• ConclusionsConclusions• Future experimentsFuture experiments• Notes (discussions, sample and data Notes (discussions, sample and data

storage locations, etc)storage locations, etc)

I strongly suggest a listing of all notebook I strongly suggest a listing of all notebook and page numbers corresponding to any data and page numbers corresponding to any data

used for a poster, manuscript or funding used for a poster, manuscript or funding application!application!

Keep this listing in a working file for the Keep this listing in a working file for the document - and give a copy to your mentor document - and give a copy to your mentor

and any collaborators. and any collaborators.

What does “Data Management” involve?What does “Data Management” involve?1) Physical record keeping1) Physical record keeping• lab notebooklab notebook• instrument printoutsinstrument printouts• imagesimages• computer analysiscomputer analysis• e-maile-mail• lab meeting discussionlab meeting discussion• probes and cellsprobes and cells

2) Analysis of primary data2) Analysis of primary data• data selectiondata selection• statistical analysisstatistical analysis• calculationscalculations• normalizationnormalization

What does “Data Management” involve?What does “Data Management” involve?3) Presentation of results (verification)3) Presentation of results (verification)• graphsgraphs• tablestables• picturespictures• FiguresFigures

4) Publication4) Publication• postersposters• seminarsseminars• manuscriptsmanuscripts• funding requestsfunding requests

Image Manipulation IssuesImage Manipulation Issues

““Data may be excluded from the Data may be excluded from the experimental results only if you experimental results only if you have a sound reason to do so!”have a sound reason to do so!”

Mother NatureMother Nature

Examples of misleading Examples of misleading presentation of the datapresentation of the data

• Origin of graph not zeroOrigin of graph not zero• Number of animals vs. number of Number of animals vs. number of

determinationsdeterminations• Non-standard normalization methodNon-standard normalization method• ““typical results”typical results”• Not showing the entire gelNot showing the entire gel• ““cleaning up” the datacleaning up” the data

As photographedAs photographed

Brightness-Brightness-Contrast Contrast

AdjustmentAdjustment

As photographedAs photographed

ErasingErasing

Rossner, M. (2006). The Scientist Rossner, M. (2006). The Scientist 2020:24-25.:24-25.

The Journal of Cell Biology:The Journal of Cell Biology:• revokes the acceptance of about 1% of its revokes the acceptance of about 1% of its

papers due to inappropriate image papers due to inappropriate image manipulationmanipulation

• 25% of accepted papers have at least 1 25% of accepted papers have at least 1 figure with undocumented manipulationfigure with undocumented manipulation

““If you misrepresent your data you are If you misrepresent your data you are deceiving people.”deceiving people.”

Rossner, M. and Yamada, K. (2004). J. Cell Biol. Rossner, M. and Yamada, K. (2004). J. Cell Biol. 166166:11-15.:11-15.

Rossner, M. (2006). The Scientist Rossner, M. (2006). The Scientist 2020:24-25.:24-25.

Rossner, M. and Yamada, K. (2004). J. Cell Biol. Rossner, M. and Yamada, K. (2004). J. Cell Biol. 166166:11-15.:11-15.

Rossner, M. and Yamada, K. (2004). J. Cell Biol. Rossner, M. and Yamada, K. (2004). J. Cell Biol. 166166:11-15.:11-15.

What do you think?What do you think?

Rossner, M. and Yamada, K. (2004). J. Cell Biol. Rossner, M. and Yamada, K. (2004). J. Cell Biol. 166166:11-15.:11-15.

Nature, instructions to authors (2006)Nature, instructions to authors (2006)

• List all image acquisition and processing tools and List all image acquisition and processing tools and softwaresoftware

• Document key image-gathering setting and Document key image-gathering setting and manipulations in the Supplemental materialsmanipulations in the Supplemental materials

• Clearly demarcate borders between images Clearly demarcate borders between images collected at different times collected at different times

• Avoid use of touch up tools or deliberately Avoid use of touch up tools or deliberately obscuring parts of an imageobscuring parts of an image

• Processing is acceptable only if applied across the Processing is acceptable only if applied across the entire imageentire image

• Be prepared to deliver the original, unprocessed Be prepared to deliver the original, unprocessed images to the editorimages to the editor

What CAN I do?What CAN I do?