Promoting Science and the Integrity of Biomedical Research at Universities: SNUCM as an Example

This paper investigates the promotion of biomedical innovation in South Korea through support for research integrity. Using Seoul National University College of Medicine (SNUCM) as a showcase, we observe a relationship between the number publications by Korean researchers, international academic reputational metrics, and best practices in the promotion of research ethics for Korean research environments. Survey data from graduate research ethics education courses across two years suggest that enhancing domestic biomedical research integrity through institutional and governmental regulatory regimes requires additional resources and refinement in select areas. We compare publication data from relevant academic publishing sources with the rate of retraction notices for Korean research amid qualitative and quantitative growth in research output. At the university level, further educational programs on publication practices and reproducible research would support reputational goals alongside academic and applied research applications. In particular, the discussion of these statistics details how to promote reproducible biomedical research in Korean research settings. Defining narrowly biomedical integrity that focuses on research misconduct and human subject protection as a foundation of research ethics education at Seoul National University would further expose researchers to the risks imposed by publication retractions and cumulative effects on Korean academic reputational goals to support innovation.