2026 BioFAIR Researcher Survey

About this survey

BioFAIR is a joint Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Medical Research Council (MRC) project. It has received funding through the UKRI Infrastructure Fund and UKRI Digital Research Infrastructure Programme to build national digital research infrastructure that supports research data management (RDM) and the adoption of FAIR principles across the UK life sciences.

This project aims to answer a range of questions around FAIR data practices, including:

• To what extent are life sciences researchers currently adopting FAIR data practices?
• What factors facilitate or impede wider adoption of FAIR data practices?
• What is the current time cost of data management activities for life sciences researchers?

This evidence will directly shape how BioFAIR develops its infrastructure, training and support.

The majority of survey questions are optional. A small number of questions drive conditional logic and are required; these are indicated with a red asterisk (*) throughout the survey.

The survey should take no longer than 15 minutes and is open until 27 July 2026.

Data protection 

You have been invited to take part as an author of a published life sciences article between 2024 and 2026. Your contact information has been obtained via PubMed Central or OpenAlex.

Research Consulting is the Data Controller for data collected as part of this survey. We follow the Market Research Society Code of Conduct, and our Data Protection and Privacy Policy is available on our website.

Your responses will be reported anonymously and analysed alongside other evaluation findings - including interviews, focus groups and desk research - to build a complete picture of FAIR data practice across the life sciences.

At the end of the survey, you will have the option to indicate your availability for a follow-up interview - this is entirely voluntary. Any contact details you provide for that purpose will be held separately from your survey responses and will not be used in analysis.

This project will result in a public report for the BioFAIR project, which we will share with participants on completion. If you have any questions in the meantime, please contact Frances Palmer (Senior Associate Consultant) at frances.palmer@research-consulting.com.