The editors of a plant biology journal have retracted a 2007 paper because of “an injustice.” According to the notice, the editors of Cytologia found evidence of “apparent figure manipulation,” and decided to retract the paper. This marks the 10th retraction for plant biologist Dibyendu Talukdar. Talukdar, who is first and corresponding author on the 2007 paper and listed at the University of … Continue reading “There is an injustice in this article”
On April 27, the Journal of Biological Chemistry (JBC) retracted nine papers by a researcher based in Israel, including some dating back to 2000. The reason: Image manipulation. Michal Neeman, vice president of The Weizmann Institute of Science, told us that the researcher, Rony Seger, is under investigation following an allegation of misconduct affecting papers in multiple … Continue reading Journal retracts nine papers in one day by author under investigation at the Weizmann Institute
A diabetes journal has issued two notices of concern for papers co-authored by a researcher who took another publisher to court after it did the same thing — but ultimately lost. The notices are for two papers co-authored by Mario Saad — who, after losing his legal battle with the American Diabetes Association, has since … Continue reading Journal flags two more papers by diabetes researcher who sued to stop retractions (and now has 12)
Chinese biomedical researchers estimate that 40% of research in their country has been affected in some way by misconduct, according to a new survey. The authors are quick to caution against putting too much stock in this figure due to the subjective nature of the survey, published in Science and Engineering Ethics. The estimates also … Continue reading Four in 10 biomedical papers out of China are tainted by misconduct, says new survey
A physics journal has retracted a 2011 paper by a group of scientists based in Italy, noting it’s “literally copied” from a paper by the same authors. This is the 12th retraction for the paper’s first author Alberto Carpinteri, who is known in the engineering community for championing some controversial ideas, such as that the Shroud … Continue reading Controversial researcher loses 12th paper that’s “literally copied;” authors object
A physics journal has retracted a paper from a leading physicist in India over duplication. The paper’s first and corresponding Naba K. Sahoo has had six papers retracted for the same reason — four earlier this year and two last year. The new retraction brings Sahoo’s total to seven, by our count. The duplication allegations began several years … Continue reading Top physicist loses another paper; tally now up to 7
A cancer biologist at Harvard who’s issued multiple editorial notices in recent years has received an expression of concern about a 2011 paper, citing “credible concerns” with the data and conclusions. The publisher does not detail the nature of the issues in the notice. In the past few years, last author Sam W. Lee lost a Molecular Cell paper in 2013 due to figure … Continue reading Paper by Harvard cancer biologist flagged over “credible concerns”
The former vice chancellor for research at the University of California, Los Angeles, has retracted a 2012 paper after an internal investigation found evidence of image manipulation. The journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics received a letter about the problems with the paper from the UCLA Research Integrity Officer, and a retraction request from last author James Economou, also … Continue reading Former UCLA vice-chancellor loses cancer paper for image manipulation
A disability journal has retracted a paper supposedly penned by a man with severe disabilities, citing duplication. Although the reason for the retraction may sound run-of-the-mill, this situation is far from ordinary. The author, known as DMan Johnson — or simply “D.J.” — has cerebral palsy, and was communicating using a controversial technique called “facilitated communication” with Anna … Continue reading After researcher is convicted of sexual assault, journal retracts her co-author’s paper
A diabetes researcher who once sued a publisher to prevent several retractions has just issued his 12th. The latest retraction, like several others for Mario Saad, appears in the journal Diabetes. Although in the past Saad expended considerable effort to protect four other Diabetes papers from this same fate, the latest retraction was initiated by the authors, citing several duplicated images. … Continue reading Researcher who sued to prevent retractions now has 12