A Pilot Study into Researchers’ Opinions and Attitudes Towards Open Science and Open Materials

Open Materials comprise both renewable or non-renewable resources shared openly without restrictive material transfer agreements in the research community. They are an understudied aspect of the Open Science ecosystem, despite how frequently they are used and shared by researchers, particularly in the field of biomedical research. This pilot study explores the understanding, participation, and perceptions of researchers toward Open Science, with a focus on Open Materials. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to assess knowledge, motivations, and barriers among researchers, particularly in relation to contributing non-renewable biological materials to Open Science initiatives. The results indicate that barriers and incentives vary and correlate with researcher demographics including levels of post-secondary education, and years of research experience. Our study identified key incentives for Open Science such as recognition, funding, collaboration, and standardized systems, as well as common barriers including fear of being “scooped”, legal uncertainty, and lack of infrastructure. Notably, survey results indicated that tailored education on Open Science and reward systems across career stages could meaningfully increase participation in the sharing and use of Open Materials. More broadly, the findings highlight the need for institutional support, stronger advocacy, cross-sector collaboration, and policy reforms to help normalize Open Science as standard practice.