Ethics Training Health Oriented Software (ETHOS)

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Arkitek Studios, Incorporated, a small business that creates high-end interactive visual content for the science, technology and education communities, and the Northwest Association for Biomedical Research (NWABR), a non-profit organization that advances the understanding and support of biomedical research, request funding for Phase I of a Small Business Innovation Research Award (SBIR) entitled Ethics Training Health Oriented Software (ETHOS). To guarantee continued support for the research enterprise, it is necessary to promote understanding of the process of biomedical research and also to address its ethical considerations. While members of the general public enjoy the vital health benefits of biomedical research, they are generally unaware of the process that generates new treatments and cures, or the ethical standards that help ensure that research is responsibly conducted. The ETHOS interactive learning software illustrates how the NIH goal of promoting the highest level of scientific integrity, public accountability, and social responsibility in the conduct of science is supported in practice through the ethical guidelines and principles that govern research. Our vision is to provide highly interactive, discovery-oriented software that provides students with an engaging way to understand ethical principles and their role in the responsible conduct of research. The project is organized around the following aims: 1) Develop an engaging prototype for health science interactive bioethics software based on the bioethical principle of Respect for Persons ; 2) Conduct a feasibility study to evaluate the prototype; and 3) Create opportunities for small business growth and the support the commercial application of prior NIH funding. Research in Phase I will focus on the following Key Questions: Does the prototype promote student understanding of the bioethical principle featured? Are students engaged by the technical aspects of the software and its design elements? Does the prototype meet the curricular needs of teachers? PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: To guarantee continued support for the research enterprise, it is necessary to promote understanding of the process of biomedical research and also to address its ethical considerations. While members of the general public enjoy the vital health benefits of biomedical research, they are generally unaware of the process that generates new treatments and cures, or the ethical standards that help ensure that research is responsibly conducted. The ETHOS interactive learning software illustrates how the NIH goal of promoting the highest level of scientific integrity, public accountability, and social responsibility in the conduct of science is supported in practice through the ethical guidelines and principles that govern research.