Weekend reads: “Research parasites;” CRISPR controversy; access to PACE data denied

The week at Retraction Watch featured a brewing case over GMO research, a 10-reason retraction. and a retraction and apology from the CBC. Before we get to this week’s reads from elsewhere, we’re happy to announce that we’re launching a daily email newsletter that will include posts from the last 24 hours, as well as links to … Continue reading Weekend reads: “Research parasites;” CRISPR controversy; access to PACE data denied

Science publishes Voinnet’s 19th, 20th, and 21st corrections

Prominent plant biologist Olivier Voinnet has issued three more corrections in this week’s issue of Science. Collectively, the papers have earned more than 1400 citations, according to Thomson Scientific’s Web of Knowledge. By our count, he’s now at 21 corrections and seven retractions, following months of questions about his work. He’s been the subject of an investigation that found he “breached his … Continue reading Science publishes Voinnet’s 19th, 20th, and 21st corrections

Paper on pine tree genetics chopped for duplication

A paper on genetic variability in Austrian pine trees apparently didn’t vary enough from other work. The journal is now retracting the 2012 paper for having significant overlap with another paper published in 2008. Another researcher pointed out the duplication — which was unintentional, according to the note, the result of an apparent failure in communication between the … Continue reading Paper on pine tree genetics chopped for duplication

Three expressions of concern added to cancer researcher’s notice list

Questions about data and conclusions in papers by a cancer researcher at the University of Maryland have led to three expressions of concern in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. The notices follow four retractions — two for image duplications and two for unknown reasons — for Anil K. Jaiswal. The three papers under notice are all on mechanisms … Continue reading Three expressions of concern added to cancer researcher’s notice list

Paper claiming GMO dangers retracted amid allegations of data manipulation

A nutrition journal is retracting a paper about potential dangers of eating food containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) for duplicating a figure, as news stories from Italy are reporting accusations that the last author falsified some of his research. In the paper, Federico Infascelli, an animal nutrition researcher at the University of Naples, and his colleagues showed modified genes … Continue reading Paper claiming GMO dangers retracted amid allegations of data manipulation

Second of 3 retractions appears for biologist, the result of “a substantial number of falsifications”

A cell biologist who falsifed Western blots has notched a second retraction, with one more expected after a investigation at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. First author Sudarsanareddy Lokireddy, now apparently a research fellow at Harvard, did not agree to the retraction, the result of “a substantial number of falsifications.” In December, we covered the results of the NTU … Continue reading Second of 3 retractions appears for biologist, the result of “a substantial number of falsifications”

Prostate cancer paper retracted after investigation can’t review original image

An article about how a COX-2 inhibitor (celecoxib) inhibits growth of prostate cancer in rats is being retracted after the authors were unable to provide an investigation committee at New York University with the backup they were asking for. When the paper was published in 2003, first author Bhagavathi Narayanan worked at the Institute for … Continue reading Prostate cancer paper retracted after investigation can’t review original image

Four retractions follow Swedish government findings of negligence, dishonesty

A Swedish ethical review board has censured two biologists and their employer, Uppsala University, for events related to “extensive image manipulations” in five papers published between 2010 and 2014. The case has led to criticism from an outside expert — who brought the allegations to Uppsala — over the current system in Sweden for handling … Continue reading Four retractions follow Swedish government findings of negligence, dishonesty

Science flags immune-boosting paper under investigation

Science magazine has issued an expression of concern for a paper on the discovery of a new immune-boosting protein. The paper’s findings, which received some press coverage when they came out last spring, are now under investigation by Imperial College London. The expression of concern follows a correction noting a Western blot mix-up. Science Editor in Chief Marcia McNutt told … Continue reading Science flags immune-boosting paper under investigation

Weekend reads: 179 researchers indicted; how to reject a rejection; breaking the law on clinical trial data

The week at Retraction Watch featured more installments in the seemingly never-ending story of fake peer reviews. Here’s what was happening elsewhere: