Supporting Good Antibody Practice at Your Institution

[Dear NAME,] I would like to suggest a small addition to our doctoral training programme. Any student using antibody-based methods completes a short piece of e-learning, and ideally attends a practical workshop before choosing their antibodies. Over 50% of commercial antibodies fail independent testing. A recent analysis of 785 publications using poorly performing antibodies found that only 15.8% presented any validation evidence. Those studies used more than 8,000 animal samples and 4,400 human tissue samples with no evidence the antibodies worked. The Only Good Antibodies community provides two free resources for this: • OGA Academy — four self-paced e-learning modules, about 45 minutes in total, with quizzes and certificates. We could make this a required part of DTP induction. • Antibody Champions workshops — a 90-minute online session where researchers bring their own targets and work through antibody selection live. We could nominate one of our PhD students as an Antibody Champion, give an existing staff member time to run sessions, or ask OGA to arrange a session for us. A Delphi study of 32 international experts rated institutional training in antibody validation as a top priority for improving reproducibility. Institutions were the only group where every recommendation reached full consensus. Could we have a short conversation about how this would fit our existing training? I am happy to share the materials. More information: onlygoodantibodies.co.uk/roadmap/institutions Best wishes, [YOUR NAME] [YOUR ROLE / DEPARTMENT / INSTITUTION]

[Dear TITLE NAME,] There is a piece of free policy text that would strengthen [INSTITUTION]'s research integrity framework in an area under growing external scrutiny: antibody validation. An analysis of 785 publications using poorly performing antibodies found that only 15.8% presented any validation evidence. Those studies used more than 8,000 animal samples and 4,400 human tissue samples with no evidence the antibodies worked. A Delphi study of 32 international experts then rated all three institutional recommendations as both effective and feasible, with full consensus. Institutions were the only group where that happened. The Only Good Antibodies community has written policy text to fit frameworks aligned with the Concordat to Support Research Integrity and the UKRIO Code of Practice. It adds no new review process. It sets expectations we can already meet with existing training and free tools, in the same way we set expectations around statistical rigour, data management, and the use of AI. There are three blocks of text, one for each policy context: • A clause for research integrity policies (UKRIO Section 3.3 or 3.11) • A clause for research training frameworks (UKRIO Section 3.2) • A clause for doctoral programme handbooks All three are short and adaptable, and are at onlygoodantibodies.co.uk/roadmap/institutions. There is a 3Rs benefit too: the text encourages recombinant antibodies over animal-derived polyclonals, in line with the EURL ECVAM recommendation, the NC3Rs strategy, and the UK government's Replacing Animals in Science strategy. Could we meet briefly to discuss taking this at the next review point? Best wishes, [YOUR NAME] [YOUR ROLE / DEPARTMENT / INSTITUTION]

[Dear TITLE NAME,] There is a way to strengthen research quality across the School at almost no cost: free antibody validation training, built on an MRC-funded Delphi consensus study and aligned with what funders and publishers are starting to require. Over half of commercial antibodies fail independent testing. Researchers choose antibodies on lab tradition and supplier reputation rather than evidence, and only 15.8% of studies using poorly performing antibodies present any validation evidence. That costs us money, animal and human samples, and reputation. The Only Good Antibodies community provides three free resources: 1. OGA Academy — four self-paced e-learning modules on antibody selection and validation. We could add this to induction or PGR training at no cost. 2. Antibody Champions workshops — a 90-minute hands-on session where researchers bring their own antibody selection problems. We could nominate a local Champion, give existing staff time to deliver, or ask OGA to arrange a session for us. 3. Recommended policy text — wording for research integrity policies, training frameworks, and doctoral handbooks that fits our existing structures and adds no review process. All three fit the Concordat to Support Research Integrity, the UKRIO Code of Practice, and the UK government's Replacing Animals in Science strategy. The workshops and the policy text both reduce sample waste, which is a direct 3Rs benefit. Could we meet briefly to discuss adopting any of this locally? More information: onlygoodantibodies.co.uk/roadmap/institutions Best wishes, [YOUR NAME] [YOUR ROLE / DEPARTMENT / INSTITUTION]

[Dear NAME,] Following up on my earlier email, in case it was buried. The smallest version of what I suggested is to require any researcher using antibody-based methods to complete the free OGA Academy e-learning (onlygoodantibodies.co.uk/academy). That alone would be a real step, and it needs no local resource. Happy to talk whenever suits, or to send more detail in writing. Best wishes, [YOUR NAME]