A Nature Cell Biology paper published only a few months ago by prominent researchers in Taiwan has sparked a heated discussion on PubPeer, which now includes a comment allegedly from an author saying they have requested its retraction. Although a representative of the journal wouldn’t confirm to us that the authors had requested a retraction, … Continue reading Nature Cell Bio paper may be headed for retraction
A rising star in the field of infectious disease has resigned from the University of Dundee in Scotland after the university upheld the findings of an investigation concluding that he committed misconduct. Earlier this year, Robert Ryan was suspended amidst the investigation, which focused on data doctoring in several publications. We’ve now been forwarded an … Continue reading Prominent researcher in Scotland resigns after misconduct finding upheld
An author of a paper about a boy with a rare genetic disorder has retracted it after the patient’s family revoked permission to use his photo. The 2012 paper in the Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology (IJDVL) told the tale of a 14-year old boy with Delleman syndrome, a condition that often results … Continue reading Family decries publication of child’s picture in open access journal
Researchers have retracted their third paper due to missing original data, following an investigation at their former institution in New York. We’ve previously reported on two retractions of papers co-authored by Bhagavathi Narayanan and Narayanan K. Narayanan, previously based at the New York University (NYU) School of Medicine. The studies were pulled when the pair couldn’t … Continue reading Authors retract third cancer paper for missing original data
A biologist at the University of Georgia has lost a paper after an investigation revealed she had tampered with three images. In 2014, Azza El-Remessy notched three retractions for a series of image errors. Now, a fourth retraction notice, and an expression of concern, explain there has been an investigation into her work. The investigation — conducted by two … Continue reading Eye researcher loses fourth paper for misconduct following Georgia, VA investigation
Several duplications in the work of a prominent diabetes researcher were the result of negligence, but there is not enough evidence to support charges of misconduct, according to an investigation at her university in Germany. Recently, we’ve reported on several notices for papers co-authored by Kathrin Maedler, a researcher at the University of Bremen. So … Continue reading Leading diabetes researcher acted negligently, probe concludes
A researcher has retracted a paper from Diabetes after re-using some Western blots in one of the figures from other papers. According to the retraction notice, the first and corresponding author — Eric Berglund, formerly at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee — contacted the journal himself to report the error, for which he takes full responsibility. … Continue reading Author pulls Diabetes paper with duplicated Western blots
Earlier this month, Morris Karmazyn, an award-winning cardiovascular researcher who’s published hundreds of papers, was called into a meeting with the office of faculty relations at the University of Western Ontario, and terminated. The reason? A series of image problems in some of his papers, raised by a former member of his lab. When Karmazyn, Canada … Continue reading Prominent heart researcher dismissed by Ontario university; colleagues appeal
A cancer journal has retracted a paper by a researcher who doctored data in 11 studies, according to a report by the U.S. Office of Research Integrity (ORI). According to an investigation report released by the ORI last year, all 11 studies co-authored by Girija Dasmahapatra, formerly based at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond, will … Continue reading Researcher pegged for misconduct in 11 papers earns 2nd retraction
Recently, François-Xavier Coudert, a researcher at the Research Institute of Chemistry of Paris in France, noticed something strange: A nearly perfect image in a chemistry paper, with none of the typically expected “noise.” Last week, he started a thread on PubPeer, alerting readers to his concerns — namely, that a microscopy image showed hexagons with … Continue reading “The results were so perfect” — and now they’re being retracted