Search Results for: vivanco

Sample tampering leads to plant scientist’s 7th retraction

Plant scientist Jorge Vivanco has earned his seventh retraction, after an investigation found data from soil samples were “intentionally fabricated by a third party.” Vivanco and his former postdoc Harsh Bais made a name for themselves by discovering the secret behind a nasty invasive plant: It secretes a harmful form of catechin, which kills everything around it, suggesting it could … Continue reading Sample tampering leads to plant scientist’s 7th retraction

NSF investigation of high-profile plant retractions ends in two debarments

A nearly ten-year-long series of investigations into a pair of plant physiologists who received millions in funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation has resulted in debarments of less than two years for each of the researchers. The NSF Office of Inspector General recently posted its close-out report on its decision and a review of … Continue reading NSF investigation of high-profile plant retractions ends in two debarments

Image manipulation leads to fifth retraction for plant research group

A plant scientist at the Colorado State University has retracted a fifth paper. Here’s the notice for “Influence of ATP-binding cassette transporters in root exudation of phytoalexins, signals, and in disease resistance, a paper originally published in July 2012: The Journal, Chief Editor and the Authors wish to retract the Original Research article cited above … Continue reading Image manipulation leads to fifth retraction for plant research group

A Nature chain retraction for Arabidopsis paper, and some unanswered questions

If a paper is retracted, should papers that cite it get retracted, too? We’ve been on the lookout for this kind of move, which we figure is consistent with cleaning up the scientific record. Today, one appears in Nature. The original paper, “Mediation of pathogen resistance by exudation of antimicrobials from roots,” purported to show … Continue reading A Nature chain retraction for Arabidopsis paper, and some unanswered questions