OTTAWA, October 21, 2025 —Today the Council of Canadian Academies (CCA) released Balancing Research Security and Open Science for Dual-Use Research of Concern, a new report by an expert panel exploring how Canada can protect sensitive research while continuing to support innovation and open science. Kelly Cobey, PhD, a scientist and director of the Metaresearch and Open Science Program at the Ottawa Heart Institute, served as a member of the expert panel behind the report.
The panel emphasizes that ensuring both research security and openness in Canada is a shared responsibility, requiring coordination across sectors and disciplines. It also highlights the need for a modern research mindset—one that includes a range of competencies to support the responsible conduct of research in an evolving global landscape.
“Research security will likely become increasingly important in the future, and successful implementation of measures warrants expanded evaluation, monitoring, and tracking of initiatives. As we continue to consider research security, we must not lose sight of the value to sharing data in the open, when possible, both for innovation and for public trust,” said Dr. Cobey. “The expression ‘as open as possible, as closed as necessary’ rings true.”
The report responds to a request from Defence Research and Development Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada to assess how Canadian institutions and policymakers can manage dual-use research of concern (DURC)—scientific work intended to benefit society that could also be misused to threaten public health, safety, or security.
Among the key takeaways of the report was the introduction of the concept of the “modern research(er) mindset” – the idea that in order to balance between research security and open science, all researchers, irrespective of their discipline, have to have ongoing awareness of the global context and how it may affect the responsible conduct and dissemination of their research.
“Dr. Kelly Cobey’s expertise in open science and research integrity has made her a key voice in shaping responsible science policy in Canada,” said Katey Rayner, PhD, chief scientific officer and vice president of research at the Ottawa Heart Institute. “Her contribution to this report reinforces our commitment to research that is both open and secure.”
The report’s release is especially timely as the Heart Institute advances its strategic focus on harnessing AI and emerging technologies to drive transformative cardiac research, accelerate medical breakthroughs, and improve heart health for all—without losing sight of the core value that defines its work: putting people first.
For more information and to schedule an interview with Dr. Kelly Cobey, please contact the media liaison below.
Read the report: Balancing Research Security and Open Science for Dual-Use Research of Concern
Media contact
Leigh B. Morris
Communications Officer
University of Ottawa Heart Institute
613-316-6409 (cell)
lmorris@ottawaheart.ca