Prof. Krzysztof Bielawski – is a Professor at IFB. He is also Vice-Rector for Development at University of Gdańsk (UG) and has a PhD in medical biology and D.Sc. in biological sciences. Prof. Bielawski is a full-professor in biological sciences since 2011. 1. How do you understand “Ethics” in biosciences research? Ethics plays a vital role in research, especially in biosciences. Two aspects are to be taken into account in this respect. On the one hand, we have ethics in the sense of research ethics, valid for any research area. This includes issues such as research integrity, resolving conflict of interest, equality, so called “good and bad science” issue, etc. On the other hand, specific ethical issues affect the work of bioscience researchers related e.g. to the use of animals, human tissues, embryos or GMO, and have to be dealt with in a responsible way in order to make research safe, reliable and acceptable. 2. What are the current standards and actions to achieve better Ethics in Gdansk University and in Poland in general? Ethics in biosciences is regulated in Poland by rules introduced on the national level. Researchers need to observe laws and regulations regarding the use of animals, human tissues as well as GMO or GMM. Specific ethical consents need to be obtained from the respective national or regional bodies as a proof that the institution and the projects complies with the required procedures. In some cases these consents are issued e.g. by the Ministry for Environment in other …
