The SAFE Labs Handbook as a tool for improving lab culture
Creating positive and equitable lab environments has become a growing priority for the scientific community and funders of scientific research. Research institutions typically respond to this need by providing mandatory or optional training opportunities for their staff. However, there are limited resources for group leaders to improve the culture in their labs. Here, we introduce the SAFE Labs Handbook: a collection of 30 "commitments" that can be implemented by individual group leaders to improve research culture in the life sciences. The commitments were collaboratively developed by 13 group leaders working in eight different European countries. We also report the results of a survey in which we asked more than 200 researchers, at various career stages, about the commitments. Even though all 30 commitments were rated as significantly important by respondents, implementation rates were notably low (<25%). However, more than 95% of group leaders said they would consider implementing them. The SAFE Labs Handbook therefore represents a unique, community-driven tool with the potential to improve lab culture on a global scale.
Authors
- Thomas J. Vogl (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3892-1740)
- Philip Coen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1495-1061)
- Katja Reinhard (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8719-7445)
- Jorien L. Treur (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4370-3390)
- Chiara Sinigaglia (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7195-7091)
- James M. Gahan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7043-4873)
- L. Federico Rossi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5831-4860)
- Jana Jeschke (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6047-2558)
- Letizia Mariotti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6749-1006)
- Stéphane Bugeon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5703-4848)
- Torben Ott (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4168-2832)
- Petrina Lau (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2257-2344)
- Erika Doná (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9268-3619)
Institutions
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (IT)
- Inserm (FR)
- Chinese University of Hong Kong (HK)
- Ollscoil na Gaillimhe – University of Galway (IE)
- Institut Jules Bordet (BE)
- Italian Institute of Technology (IT)
- Sorbonne Université (FR)
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Vienna (AT)
- MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology (GB)
- Neuroscience Institute (IT)
- Institut de Neurobiologie de la Méditerranée (FR)
- Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems (IT)
- Biologie Intégrative des Organismes Marins (FR)
- Scuola Superiore Meridionale (IT)
- Center for Cancer Research (US)
- Amsterdam University Medical Centers (NL)
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin (DE)
- University College London (GB)
- Medical University of Vienna (AT)
- University of Amsterdam (NL)
Publication Details
- Journal
- eLife
- Published
- 2025-11-28
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.7554/elife.108853
- Primary Topic
- Innovative Approaches in Technology and Social Development
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00