Year: 2005
Type: article
Abstract: he world of scientific research and scholarly publishing is undergoing a profound transformation in large part due to the rapid development of information and communication technologies.The Internet and the advent of faster networking capabilities now allow virtually unlimited access to information, remote data gathering, real-time integration of data into databases and models, and online purchasing of research supplies.At the same time, it has opened new possibilities for researchers to communicate with colleagues and with the society in general.However, although some investigators in the developing world are keeping pace with this new reality, the majority are largely excluded from this transformation because of their limited access to scientific information.Particularly relevant to the area of pathogen research, the vast majority of infectious diseases in humans, animals, and plants occurs in the developing world, and efficient communication between local scientists in developing countries and the global community will facilitate advances in knowledge and control of these pathogens.Here we discuss open access and socially responsible philosophies in relation to scientific training, publishing, and intellectual property, and give examples of how we can help keep the developing world fully informed about these new models.The first step is training partners in developing countries in laboratory techniques and epidemiological skills that complement their existing programs, as well as developing their proficiency in grant proposal writing.A number of organizations have undertaken workshops on such topics around the world, including the World Health Organization (http://www.who.int/en/), the Pan American Health Organization (http://www.paho.org), the Fogarty International Center of the National Institutes of Health (http:// www.fic.nih.gov), and the Sustainable Sciences Institute ([SSI]; http://www.ssilink.org),which we represent.SSI is a San Francisco-based organization that helps scientists in underprivileged environments gain access to the resources, technologies, skills, and knowledge they need to conduct cutting-edge research with an impact on public health and to effectively communicate their results [1].Importantly, these organizations make the content of their courses freely available to participants in the workshops and others, similar to an open-access policy.Performing research is not the only issue at stake; the scientific community evaluates career advancement and stature primarily by the number and quality of published research articles in peer-reviewed journals, and few investigators in developing countries receive training on how to convert their work into publishable manuscripts.To address this problem, several organizations have begun conducting manuscript-writing workshops in developing countries, including CARE-Centers for Disease Control
Source: PLoS Pathogens
Authors: Josefina Coloma, Eva Harris
Language: English
Subfield: Information Systems and Management
Field: Decision Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,043
OpenAlex ID: W2033656869