IBANGS Code of Ethics and Conduct:

IBANGS is dedicated to the advancement and learning in cross-disciplinary fields relating to behavior and neural genetics. Our Code of Conduct provides a framework to guide its members and affiliates towards these goals while maintaining ethicality, integrity, and the reputation of the society. 

IBANGS is committed to providing a safe, welcoming environment for the discussion of a diversity of ideas and opinions across its international membership. We recognize that IBANGS is a cross-disciplinary society, and with that come unique ethical and conduct considerations for its members. All those who wish to participate and interact with the IBANGS community, regardless of membership, are expected to abide by the following principles:

  1. Respect for colleagues. Those attending IBANGS events are expected to conduct themselves with principles of courtesy, respect, and professionalism that can be reasonably expected in a public setting. This expectation extends to other attendees, venues and venue staff, and broader locations where IBANGS events are held. IBANGS does not tolerate any forms of harassment directed at other IBANGS members, attendees, and conference staff. Harassment includes but is not limited to verbal, physical, psychological, and sexual misconduct. IBANGS prohibits members and conference attendees from engaging in discrimination, abuse, targeted exclusion, stalking, threatening or intimidating behavior, and other forms of harassment against other IBANGS affiliates.

  2. Responsible conduct of research. Individuals engaging in IBANGS events are expected to uphold reasonable standards of responsible research conduct consistent with their institutions and governing bodies. This includes but is not limited to adhering to established protocols, proper data management and handling, responsible dissemination of findings, minimizing environmental harms, and complying with laws and regulations. 

    1. Many IBANGS members conduct their research using animal and human models, which have their own ethical and legal considerations. Researchers are expected to prioritize the welfare of human participants and animal subjects, and obtain all the appropriate approvals and consents prior to conducting their research.

    2. IBANGS is a multidisciplinary society with a focus on topics in neuroscience and genetics. Studying these topics is essential to the advancement of science, knowledge, and human life. However, IBANGS also recognizes that research in these fields can be exploited to enact harms against individuals, groups, and societies, even if at the express condemnation by the scientific community. IBANGS encourages its members and affiliates to reflect on how their research is communicated, how it may be exploited or misinterpreted by others, and engage in appropriate research dissemination to the scientific community and public that does not encourage these actions.

  3. Promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). IBANGS members and affiliates are expected to uphold practices that promote a diverse, inclusive, and safe society. There is a reasonable expectation that members and affiliates conduct and disseminate their research in a way that does not subvert these expectations. IBANGS values diversity and inclusion across identity groups, which include but are not limited to age, appearance, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, gender expression, geographic location, nationality, professional level, race, religion, socioeconomic status and sexual orientation. Please see the IBANGS DEI Statement [link to website] for more information.

  4. Scientific and intellectual integrity and transparency. All researchers must not fabricate, falsify, intentionally misinterpret, or engage in any other forms of scientific misconduct when presenting or discussing their work with the IBANGS community. Researchers should abide by principles of transparency and openness in research protocols and findings, and engage in data sharing practices when applicable. Participants must maintain impartiality and objectivity in research, dissemination of results, and interpretation of findings.

  5. Conflict of Interest: Speakers and presenters must declare their funding sources when presenting research to the IBANGS community. Speakers must also declare any potential or perceived conflicts of interest when speaking or presenting at IBANGS events. Some example Conflicts of Interest statements include but are not limited to:

<Authors> declare they were employed/acted as a consultant for <Commercial Entity> over the curation of this research.

<Authors> declare they hold patents/pending patents pertaining to this research.

<Authors> declare they hold or previously held stock options/ownership interests in <Commercial Entity>.

<Authors> declare they have no conflicts of interest pertaining to this research.

A member who is directly or indirectly interested in a proposed contract or transaction involving the society must disclose fully and promptly the nature and extent of their interest. Any such member must leave the meeting while the proposed contract or transaction is under discussion and voted upon. Such members must abstain from voting on issues pertaining to the proposed contract or transaction and are not to be considered as part of the quorum during their absence from the meeting.

These expectations should not conflict with the pre-existing ethical and legal obligations of a member or affiliate, and they are not intended to supplant, overrule, or act as substitute for mandates outlined by an individuals’ schools, institutions, and other governing bodies.

Any individuals displaying behavior seen to be violating these principles are subject to investigation and appropriate disciplinary action at the discretion of the IBANGS executive committee. Those with information they would like to share are encouraged to reach out to [email protected].

Genes, Brain, and Behavior Ethics Statement:

The IBANGs affiliate journal, Genes, Brain and Behavior, requires all article submissions to include ethics statements regarding human and animal research and conflicts of interest statements, in line with Wiley’s policies.