This week, we learn about the importance of plain language summaries from the ISMPP podcast, In Plain Cite. We signpost an upcoming webinar about Registered Reports, and we feature a nine-part training course for pharma professionals that focuses on leveraging AI and machine learning throughout the drug development life cycle. We recap the ORCID Community Town Hall event, explore implementation of open science practices for large teams, and learn about a partnership between COS and the Japanese NII to build a national research data infrastructure. Finally, we read about ‘journal snatcher’ titles that have been delisted by scholarly databases, and we learn about the need to localize open science in Asia.
To listen to:
The importance of understandable medical content via ISMPP | 25-minute listen
In this latest episode of the International Society for Medical Publication Professionals (ISMPP) In Plain Cite podcast, Danielle Grospitch (Scientific Director at The Lockwood Group) and Cynthia Baur (Director of the Horowitz Center for Health Literacy) join guest host Steve Palmisano (Executive Vice President of Publication Services at The Lockwood Group) to examine the challenges patients face when presented with overly complex medical information. They highlight the power of plain language summaries in breaking down content barriers and discuss the importance of educating healthcare professionals about health literacy.
To engage with:
Registered Reports for responsible research via Responsible Research
How do Registered Reports differ from other publication formats, and what are the benefits of using Registered Reports for authors, reviewers and the scientific community? Explore these questions and more during this free webinar from Responsible Research. Nonia Pariente (Editor-in-Chief at PLOS Biology) and Nikki Osborne (Company Director at Responsible Research) will discuss “all you[’ve] ever wanted to know about Registered Reports” in this 1-hour webinar on 30 April 2025. This webinar will prepare attendees to submit a Registered Report.
AI and machine learning training for life sciences and pharma via Pistoia Alliance
Are you a pharma or life sciences professional interested in learning more about how artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning could revolutionize the pharma life cycle? Join the Pistoia Alliance for this nine-part online training course starting on 20 May 2025. Participants can develop their AI and machine learning knowledge and skills through sessions developed by academic and industry experts, with the option to join sessions live or catch up on demand. More information about the speakers, curriculum and pricing is available on the Pistoia Alliance website.
To watch:
The ORCID 2024 milestones and 2025 manifestations via LinkedIn | 10-minute watch
Missed the Open Researcher and Contributor iD (ORCID) Community Town Hall? Don’t worry! This bitesize highlight reel will get you all caught up in just 10 minutes. Learn about the new ORCID work type and email domain functions, growing global ORCID membership, and the plans for further improvements in 2025 and beyond.
Open science for big-team initiatives via PLOS Media | 58-minute watch
Watch Agata Morka (Regional Director, Publishing Development [Europe] at PLOS), Amy de Bruïne (Policy Officer at Open Science NL), Anna Dreber Almenberg (Professor of Economics at the Stockholm School of Economics), Kamran Naim (Head of Open Science at CERN) and Tracey Weissgerber (EXCELScIOR ERA Chair Team Leader at the University of Coimbra) explore the challenges associated with big-team science, and see them discuss the importance of open science practices for fostering credibility, reliability and collaboration.
To read:
COS and Japanese NII create partnership to advance open research infrastructures via COS |
2-minute read
The Center for Open Science (COS) and the Japanese National Institute of Informatics (NII) have created a partnership to build a national research data infrastructure. The platform – called GakuNin RDM – will be based on the Open Science Framework, and will offer Japanese universities and research institutes a “robust, open-source platform for managing and sharing research outputs in line with international standards”.
Scopus and Web of Science delist ‘journal snatcher’ titles via Nature | 5-minute read
The scholarly databases Scopus and Web of Science have delisted journal titles identified as being potential victims of ‘journal snatchers’ by researchers Alberto Martín-Martín (Professor at the University of Granada) and Emilio Delgado López-Cózar (Professor at the University of Granada). After recent acquisitions, the titles have introduced or raised article processing charges, increased their publishing output and expanded their scope. Explaining the decision to remove the titles from its database, a spokesperson from Scopus said, “As there has been significant change (different ownership), there is no guarantee that review quality is at the same level as the original journals”.
Asia needs a localized approach to open science via The Scholarly Kitchen| 8-minute read
“For much of Asia and the Arab world, this vision [of universal open science] is aspirational – but not yet within reach”, explains Maryam Sayab (Director of Communications at the Asian Council of Science Editors). In this article, Maryam explores how mutual learning, co-creation and contextual innovation are all required to support a truly inclusive, equitable and global open research ecosystem.
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