Good research practice policies and guidance

Good research practice underpins high-quality, reliable science and helps build public trust in biomedical research.

All MRC-funded researchers must follow good research practice as a condition of funding, as set out in UKRI terms and conditions, and in additional MRC conditions.

MRC expectations for good research practice cover five areas:

  • research excellence and integrity
  • ethical research
  • partnerships
  • risk and resilience
  • openness and transparency

Research excellence and integrity

Everyone involved in MRC-funded research must act with care, skill and accountability to deliver high quality, reliable research and make the best use of public funds.

This includes:

  • planning and resourcing research appropriately, with clear lines of responsibility and accountability (including collaborations)
  • taking personal responsibility for research integrity and rigour by using appropriate methods, standards and training to generate robust, reproducible findings
  • identifying and protecting any intellectual property to support future development or commercialisation
  • supporting a research culture of honesty and respect, including developing others, participating in peer review and preventing unacceptable conduct

Key policies and guidance:

Ethical, legal, policy and professional standards

MRC-funded research must be ethical in line with UKRI’s high-level ethical principles outlined in the UKRI position statement on funding ethical research.

This includes:

  • embedding diversity in research design including sex-inclusive design for studies involving animals, tissues or cells (human or animal), in line with MRC policy
  • identifying and meeting all relevant ethical, legal, policy and professional standards
  • ensuring any approvals or permissions are in place before research begins (these are not required at funding stage)
  • working with research organisations and collaborators to ensure compliance across all aspects of the study

Key policies and guidance:

New and emerging areas of research

Advances in research methods, tools and technologies have the potential to transform biomedical research and improve health, but can raise ethical issues.

Further guidance:

Working in partnership

MRC-funded research and innovation partnerships should be transparent, based on mutual respect and deliver shared benefits in line with UKRI’s high-level ethical principles.

This includes:

  • establishing partnerships that are purposeful, transparent and deliver shared benefits (including industry partnerships)
  • formalising arrangements in proportion to the research governance risks involved (for example some partnerships can be managed through terms of reference)
  • using appropriate legal agreements where required, particularly where data or samples are shared across organisations or national borders, or Intellectual property or commercialisation may arise
  • using model agreements (such as mICRA) for collaborations involving the NHS
  • engaging legal teams and relevant support offices at an early stage
  • meeting ethical and regulatory requirements for international research partnerships, including obtaining approval in both the UK and host country where required
  • working in partnership with the public where this can inform, shape or strengthen research

Key policies and guidance:

Managing risk in research and ensuring resilience

MRC-funded researchers should work with their research organisation to identify and manage risks throughout the research lifecycle.

This includes:

  • undertaking risk assessments throughout the research lifecycle and minimising significant risks
  • managing the risk of research misuse, particularly relevant for engineering biology, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and research involving harmful human, animal, or plant pathogens
  • managing research security risks and embedding environmental resilience

Key policies and guidance:

Openness and transparency

Everyone involved in MRC-funded research must be as open and transparent as possible, supporting the free exchange of ideas and maximising public benefit.

This includes:

  • disseminating findings in a timely manner, including both positive and negative results (this can include preprints)
  • publishing outputs in line with UKRI Open Access policy and depositing in Europe PubMed Central in line with MRC’s additional terms and conditions
  • retaining data, materials and outputs in line with the Retention framework for research data and records
  • sharing data and outputs responsibly, with as few restrictions as possible to maximise value and reproducibility

Additional requirements for clinical trials and public health interventions:

  • register with the clinical study registry ISRCTN within 12 months of study start date
  • publicly report within 24 months of trial end
  • share findings with participants within 12 months of the end of the study

Key policies and guidance:

Good research practice e-learning

We are updating our Good Research Practice e-learning for MRC-funded researchers. It will cover the areas outlined on this page.

Ask a question about good research practice

If you have any queries about good research practice, email: researchpolicy@mrc.ukri.org

We aim to respond within three working days.

Last updated: 15 June 2026

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