(Episode 162) Can we trust the evidence? Spotting problematic research in healthcare

(Episode 162) Can we trust the evidence? Spotting problematic research in healthcare

In this thought‑provoking episode, host Dr Emily Goodall speaks with Dr Jack Wilkinson [https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/persons/jack.wilkinson], Senior Lecturer in Clinical Trial Statistics at the University of Manchester. Together, they explore the growing challenge of problematic and fraudulent research polluting the published literature, what it means for trust in evidence, and how the research community can respond. From “paper mills” to AI‑generated publications, this episode shines a light on how research integrity is being challenged—and what researchers, reviewers, and institutions can do to protect it. Key themes * The scale of problematic research is growing: Fraudulent and low‑quality studies, driven by paper mills, AI and pressured research environments, are increasingly entering the literature. * Quality checks don’t guarantee authenticity: Peer review and standard appraisals focus on quality, but often miss whether research is authentic. * Structured tools can help spot issues: Tools like INSPECT‑SR guide peer reviewers to identify inconsistencies, implausibility, and red flags. * Culture and incentives drive the problem: Publish‑or‑perish pressures and limited transparency make problematic studies more likely and harder to detect. Final reflections This episode raises an important challenge: if publications are the currency of academia, what happens when we can’t fully trust them? Dr Wilkinson’s work shows that while the problem is complex, there are practical steps we can take, from better tools and reviewer support to systemic cultural change, to strengthen trust in research. Find out more: * INSPECT-SR PrePrint: [https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.03.25334905v1 ] a tool for assessing trustworthiness of randomised controlled trials, medRxiv 2025. * INSPECT-SR: Resources for users [https://inspect.sr ]. * A recording of the Introduction to INSPECT-SR workshop [youtu.be/0uNB7j1CshY] is available on YouTube. * Dr Jack Wilkinson on Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/jdwilko.bsky.social ]. * Our open research playlist [https://player.captivate.fm/collection/859c3801-ad5d-41e8-a8f5-bad2b278692f]. If you have enjoyed listening to this episode, please consider leaving a review on your favourite podcast app, via Podchaser, or by submitting an online review form. Podchaser: https://lnkd.in/eQYbzZ65 [https://lnkd.in/eQYbzZ65] Online Review Form: https://lnkd.in/eeXFE249 [https://lnkd.in/eeXFE249]

(Episode 161) Thinking Globally, Acting Locally: Research Culture in the UAE and Beyond

The #ResearchCultureUncovered podcast team is excited to share our latest episode featuring a fascinating conversation with Professor Adel Ahmed. Adel worked in the UK higher education for over 20 years before moving to the United Arab Emirates in 2015. Join host, Ged Hall, as he reconnects with his former colleague to explore research culture in the UAE and the wider Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. 🔹 Discover how higher education in the UAE is strategically designed rather than historically inherited — built around national development priorities, societal impact, and economic diversification, not just rankings and publications. 🔹 Learn about the UAE's ecosystem of federal, semi-government, private, and international branch campus universities, and how this model is spreading across the MENA region. 🔹 Hear how outcome-based evaluation frameworks are reshaping what research success looks like — moving beyond citation counts to measure real-world impact, industry collaboration, and student participation in research. 🔹 Explore what it's really like to move from the UK to the UAE as an academic, and why breaking down silos, embracing interdisciplinary working, and thinking globally while acting locally are at the heart of research culture in the region. Listeners can connect with Adel on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/prof-adel-ahmed-3998a841/] Items mentioned in the episode: * Overview of the UAE Higher Education Sector: Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MOHESR) https://www.mohesr.gov.ae/En/pages/home.aspx [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mohesr.gov.ae%2FEn%2Fpages%2Fhome.aspx&data=05%7C02%7CG.Hall%40adm.leeds.ac.uk%7C79d312fac45841e2bdd708debc25459f%7Cbdeaeda8c81d45ce863e5232a535b7cb%7C0%7C0%7C639155065691619702%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=spsNk2nV7%2BdPAGHFBZmmt0rolDTvIFEBLR2uUa7nfzc%3D&reserved=0] * UAE’s quality assurance agency: Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) https://www.caa.ae [https://www.caa.ae] * Information Related to the Outcome-Based Evaluation Framework (OBEF) –https://www.caa.ae/Pages/Guidelines/Outcomes-based-Evaluation-framework-University-Guide.aspx [https://www.caa.ae/Pages/Guidelines/Outcomes-based-Evaluation-framework-University-Guide.aspx] * OBEF University Guide (PDF) full details https://www.caa.ae/PORTALGUIDELINES/OBEF%20University%20Guide%20(Version%2011.5)%20(English).pdf [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.caa.ae%2FPORTALGUIDELINES%2FOBEF%2520University%2520Guide%2520(Version%252011.5)%2520(English).pdf&data=05%7C02%7CG.Hall%40adm.leeds.ac.uk%7C79d312fac45841e2bdd708debc25459f%7Cbdeaeda8c81d45ce863e5232a535b7cb%7C0%7C0%7C639155065691688498%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=%2BFk4MfSuxjPDC4qcNqbu2Y%2Bq7RgwvAXfjuOZAizpmrA%3D&reserved=0] * UAE Licensure and Accreditation Framework https://www.caa.ae/Pages/Guidelines/Licensure-and-Accreditation.aspx [https://www.caa.ae/Pages/Guidelines/Licensure-and-Accreditation.aspx] All of our episodes can be accessed via the following playlists: 1. Research Impact [https://player.captivate.fm/collection/60d10ee0-197a-4648-a3ea-55458f799776] with Ged Hall (follow Ged on Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/hallged.bsky.social]and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/drgedhall/]) and Alix Brodie-Wray (follow Alix on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alix-brodie-wray-b61069111/]) 2. Research Impact Heroes [https://player.captivate.fm/collection/c2f4fdc5-ee6a-4f39-8bdd-84c66f9ea3fc] with Ged Hall 3. Open Research [https://player.captivate.fm/collection/859c3801-ad5d-41e8-a8f5-bad2b278692f] with Nick Sheppard (follow Nick on Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/nickshepp.bsky.social] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicksheppard/]) 4. Research Careers [https://player.captivate.fm/collection/ed099aeb-00b5-4bec-b0e3-a4c059dfb826] with Ruth Winden (follow Ruth on Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/ruthwinden.bsky.social] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruthwinden/]) 5. Research talent management [https://player.captivate.fm/collection/687a0477-5846-4db4-936c-ac53a4484adb] 6. Meet the Research Culturositists [https://player.captivate.fm/collection/f62132a4-2297-4af5-a659-288dccc47220] with Emma Spary (follow Emma on Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/emmaspary.bsky.social] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmaspary/]) 7. Research co-production [https://player.captivate.fm/collection/599ab0c4-5878-4ef9-bedd-dca5cff5dc77] 8. Research evaluation [https://player.captivate.fm/collection/e83123ea-b1c6-463b-98d8-5e964afb07eb]

(Episode 160) Meta-Research Uncovered: The Role of Research Enablers

What does it mean to do research on research — and what role do professional staff play in it? In this episode, Alix Brodie-Wray is joined by Dr. Chris Daley (LSE) and Dr. Amy Milligan (Saïd Business School, University of Oxford) to explore the world of meta-research and why research managers, administrators, and enablers have a vital part to play. We cover: 🔬 What meta-research actually is (and why it matters) 💡 How professional staff bring unique, ground-level expertise to the field 📊 The growing investment in meta-science — including the UK Meta-Science Unit's funding tripling to £49 million 🎓 Whether you need a PhD to get involved (spoiler: you don't) ⚖️ The very real time pressures and how to navigate them 🌍 What the future holds for research enablers in this space If you work in research support, management, or administration and have ever wondered whether your skills could contribute to something bigger — this one's for you. 🎧 Listen now: [link] Contributors Alix Brodie-Wray (follow on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alix-brodie-wray-b61069111/]) Dr Amy Milligan (follow on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-flanders-milligan-9792926a]) Dr Chris Daley (follow on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-daley]) Links and Resources: Research on Research Institute video on ‘what is metascience? [https://researchonresearch.org/new-video-series-what-is-metascience-and-why-does-it-matter/]’ Past, Present and Future of UK Metascience. Short history of metascience in the UK context [https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/685bcd40c07c71e5a87097d1/the-past-present-future-of-uk-metascience.pdf] Association of Research Managers and Administrators: Meta-Research Special Interest Group: Meta Research – ARMA [https://arma.ac.uk/dashboard/network/special-interest-groups/meta-research-nonmembers/] Follow us on Bluesky: @researcherdevleeds.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/researcherdevleeds.bsky.social] (new episodes are announced here) @openresleeds.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/openresleeds.bsky.social] @researchcultureuol.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/researchcultureuol.bsky.social] Connect on LinkedIn: @ResearchUncoveredPodcast [https://www.linkedin.com/company/research-culture-uncovered/] (new episodes are announced here) 📩 If you would like to contribute to a podcast episode: researcherdevelopment@leeds.ac.uk [researcherdevelopment@leeds.ac.uk]

(Episode 159) Careers and Skills for Data-driven Research (CaSDaR): a comedy podcast with Dr Louise Saul

In this episode Nick talks to Dr Louise Saul, Network+ coordinator for CaSDaR (Careers and Skills for Data Driven Research) [https://casdar.ac.uk/], a UKRI-funded initiative aiming to professionalise and build community around data stewardship in the UK. They discuss shared work through the Open Research Competencies Coalition (ORCC) and Louise’s previous UKRN role as an ORCA (Open Research Coordinator and Administrator) at the University of Southampton, supporting open research training and implementation. Louise discusses using stand-up comedy to communicate research and open research ideas, and outlines her career path from biotechnology and a PhD in protein crystallography through multiple postdocs, teaching, and into open research and data. She explains meta-research as “research on research,” including a study on what authors include in methods sections and implications for reproducibility. Louise shares some of her data-management "horror stories," and highlights sector-wide challenges: unclear career pathways and progression for research-enabling roles, which CaSDaR addresses via funding, events, and resources. Links: * CaSDaR (Careers and Skills for Data Driven Research) [https://casdar.ac.uk/] * Ruby Carr Comedy [https://www.rubycarrcomedy.com/] * UK Reproducibility Network [https://www.ukrn.org/] * (Episode 129) UKRN Train the Trainer: accelerating the uptake of open research practices across academic disciplines [https://research-culture.captivate.fm/episode/ukrn-train-the-trainer-accelerating-the-uptake-of-open-research-practices-across-academic-disciplines] * (Episode 123) Valuing Diverse Research Outputs: The Hidden REF and the 5% Manifesto with Simon Hettrick [https://research-culture.captivate.fm/episode/valuing-diverse-research-outputs-the-hidden-ref-and-the-5-manifesto-with-professor-simon-hettrick] * Sonrai - Irish Data Stewardship Network [https://datastewards.ie/] If you have enjoyed listening to this episode, please consider leaving a review on your favourite podcast app, via Podchaser, or by submitting an online review form. ✍ Podchaser [https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/research-culture-uncovered-4959637?utm_source=captivate&utm_medium=podcast_page&action=rate] ✍ Online Review Form [https://forms.office.com/e/6effjgmmM6] All of our episodes can be accessed via the following playlists: * Research Impact [https://player.captivate.fm/collection/60d10ee0-197a-4648-a3ea-55458f799776] with Ged Hall (follow Ged on Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/hallged.bsky.social]and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/drgedhall/]) * Research Impact Heroes [https://player.captivate.fm/collection/c2f4fdc5-ee6a-4f39-8bdd-84c66f9ea3fc] with Ged Hall * Open Research [https://player.captivate.fm/collection/859c3801-ad5d-41e8-a8f5-bad2b278692f] with Nick Sheppard (follow Nick on Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/nickshepp.bsky.social] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicksheppard/]) * Research Careers [https://player.captivate.fm/collection/ed099aeb-00b5-4bec-b0e3-a4c059dfb826] with Ruth Winden (follow Ruth on Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/ruthwinden.bsky.social] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruthwinden/]) * Research talent management [https://player.captivate.fm/collection/687a0477-5846-4db4-936c-ac53a4484adb] * Meet the Research Culturositists [https://player.captivate.fm/collection/f62132a4-2297-4af5-a659-288dccc47220] with Emma Spary (follow Emma on Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/emmaspary.bsky.social] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmaspary/]) * Research co-production [https://player.captivate.fm/collection/599ab0c4-5878-4ef9-bedd-dca5cff5dc77] * Research evaluation [https://player.captivate.fm/collection/e83123ea-b1c6-463b-98d8-5e964afb07eb] * Research leadership [https://player.captivate.fm/collection/33415149-cfbb-4cbc-aaf8-4e9a98e1af54] * Research professionals [https://player.captivate.fm/collection/1249a4ac-e38d-4019-ae42-07620eda1dbf] * Academic failure [https://player.captivate.fm/collection/36ece93f-61f8-4260-b0b1-5da73333872d] with Taryn Bell (follow Taryn on Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/tarynbell.bsky.social] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/drtarynbell/]) Follow us on Bluesky: @researcherdevleeds.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/researcherdevleeds.bsky.social] (new episodes are announced here), @openresleeds.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/openresleeds.bsky.social], @researchcultureuol.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/researchcultureuol.bsky.social] Connect to us on LinkedIn: @ResearchUncoveredPodcast [https://www.linkedin.com/company/research-culture-uncovered/] (new episodes are announced here too). If you would like to contribute to a podcast episode get in touch: researcherdevelopment@leeds.ac.uk [researcherdevelopment@leeds.ac.uk]

(Episode 158) How to Turn Your PhD Into a Book?

Episode title: How to Turn Your PhD Into a Book Podcast: Research Culture Uncovered Host: Heledd Jarosz-Griffiths (Researcher Development Advisor, University of Leeds) Episode overview Turning a PhD into a book is rarely a straightforward process. It’s not simply about rewriting or revising a thesis — it involves rethinking purpose, audience, and identity as a researcher. In this episode, Heledd speaks with Dr Hilary Potter about the challenges and opportunities involved in transforming doctoral research into a book. From the emotional weight of returning to high-stakes work, to developing confidence and recognising your own expertise, the conversation explores what it really means to “turn” a PhD into something new. Hilary also shares insights into her activity-based approach, the role of creativity and writing by hand, and how her portfolio career — including teaching, translation, and periods of precarity — has shaped both her thinking and her book. Together, this episode highlights how developing authorial agency can shift not only how researchers write, but how they see themselves and their place within (and beyond) academia. Featured contributor Dr Hilary Potter — Project Officer, CERIC (Centre for Employment Relations, Innovation and Change) University of Leeds. Academic background in German Studies, with experience across teaching, research, and roles inside and outside higher education. Author of How to Turn Your PhD into a Book: A Pocket Guide (Peter Lang, 2024). 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-hilary-potter-1495262b 🦋 Bluesky: @hilarypotterphd.bsky.social Key themes explored • The challenge of reconceptualising a PhD beyond its original purpose • Why turning a PhD into a book is not simply rewriting or revising • The shift from being supervised to working independently • Developing authorial agency and recognising expertise • Creative and tactile approaches to writing (including writing by hand) • The influence of portfolio careers, teaching, and precarity on academic work • Writing for different audiences and purposes Memorable ideas • A PhD is written to be examined — a book is written to be read • Distance from your thesis can be essential before returning to it • Creativity and physical engagement (writing, drawing, mapping ideas) can unlock thinking • You don’t need permission to be the expert in your own work • Research careers are rarely linear — and that can be a strength Related episode The Art of Saying No: Power, Permission, and Research Culture This earlier episode explores how agency, confidence, and decision-making are shaped by power, culture, and career stage in research environments — themes that connect closely to this conversation around authorial agency and recognising your expertise. 🔗 Listen here: The Art of Saying No [https://player.captivate.fm/episode/dd1ab930-2982-4fed-9510-bf7aca794ad1/] Leave a review If you enjoyed the episode, please consider leaving a rating and a short review — it helps others find the podcast. Podchaser [https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/research-culture-uncovered-4959637?utm_source=captivate&utm_medium=podcast_page&action=rate] Online Review Form [https://forms.office.com/e/6effjgmmM6] Follow and connect Follow us on Bluesky: @researcherdevleeds.bsky.social; @openresleeds.bsky.social; @researchcultureuol.bsky.social Connect to us on LinkedIn: @ResearchUncoveredPodcast (new episodes are announced here) Want to contribute to a future episode? We’d love to hear from you — especially if you have reflections on research culture from any career stage or role. researcherdevelopment@leeds.ac.uk [researcherdevelopment@leeds.ac.uk]