New experiment design improves reproducibility

Research with a Achaearanea tepidariorum. Image: Jan-Peter Kasper (University of Jena) - International research team proposes measures to increase the reproducibility of biomedical experiments For some scientific disciplines, such as medical or drug research, experiments with live animals are still indispensable. Scientists are aware of their responsibilities in this sensitive area and strive to keep the number of experiments as low as possible. Extensive standardisation processes are supposed to increase the efficiency of the experiments, thus reducing the number needed. However, biological complexity, and in parti­cular a dependence on the context of the individual experiments, often make it difficult to reproduce and generalise the results. In the current research journal "Nature Reviews Neuro­science", an international team led by the University of Bern recommends ways of reducing the number of experiments. Results often depend on context.