Frontiers | Field notes

Research integrity and ethics

Published on 12 May 2026

What is a conflict of interest within the context of scientific publishing?

A conflict of interest in scientific publishing exists when personal, financial, or professional relationships could influence, or be perceived to influence, the objectivity of research, peer review, or editorial decisions. The Frontiers Conflict of interest policy requires all authors and members of editorial boards to disclose their actual and potential conflicts of interest. Conflicts of interest, sometimes known as competing interests and often shortened to COIs, are part of everyday academic life. Researchers collaborate, receive funding, consult for industry, sit on advisory boards, and build long-term professional networks. None of this is inherently problematic.

Research integrity and ethics

Published on 24 Apr 2026

AI literacy for researchers: how to use AI responsibly without compromising your work

Artificial intelligence is already transforming every part of the research process. Increasing numbers of researchers are integrating AI into their everyday workflows, yet many remain uncertain about how to use these tools both responsibly and to their full potential. AI literacy, knowing when to use these tools, when not to, and how to stay accountable for the output, is becoming a core research skill. We spoke with Simone Ragavooloo, Research Integrity Portfolio Manager at Frontiers, about why it matters and how researchers can protect both their own work and the credibility of science.

Behind the scenes

Published on 28 Apr 2026

Common mistakes in publishing: copyrighted materials

Submitting a research paper can feel like the final step in a long research journey. After months or years of work, the manuscript is finally ready for submission. But during the production stage of publishing, many manuscripts encounter the same avoidable problem: the incorrect use of images, figures, or other copyrighted materials. For early-career researchers in particular, copyright rules can be confusing. Many mistakes happen because authors assume that materials found online are free to reuse.

From our journals

Published on 23 Mar 2026

Next generation nutrition science: a new chapter in sustainable food systems

Nutrition science faces a pivotal moment as we enter the last 5 years of the 15-year timeline of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The challenges of food security, dietary health, and environmental sustainability are deeply interconnected, and the research agenda is shifting to reflect that complexity. Siloed approaches, whether focused on single nutrients, isolated policy levers, or narrow populations, are giving way to systems-level thinking that treats food as part of a broader web of trade, technology, ecology, and human behavior.