Reproducibility and relevance issues in translational research: case reports and possible solutions.

Questions about the reproducibility of scientific research have been raised in a number of different arenas over the last few years, including the general and scientific media, sparked in part by an increase in the number of retracted papers and a failure by industry to replicate findings in ‘landmark’ papers. The consequences are potentially significant for many areas of biological and broader scientific research. Case studies using examples of research work in the fields of biomarkers, drug development and bioinformatics will exemplify current problems in reproducibility of biomedical experiments and suggest possible solutions. The presentation will consider the implications for the future of translational cancer research in particular, with possible overlaps across the disciplines.