An ongoing investigation into data integrity at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has led to a series of retractions, with the latest being a 2006 Science paper co-authored by institute president and CEO Laurie Glimcher. The retraction notice, published in Science on Thursday, stated that discrepancies in key scientific images had been identified by the authors, leading to a loss of confidence in the study’s key figures. However, the study’s lead author opposed the retraction.
These issues with the 2006 Science paper, as well as concerns about more than 50 other articles co-authored by four of Dana-Farber’s top researchers, were brought to light in a January blog post by scientific investigator Sholto David. Some of the problems with the papers were identified in the last year on PubPeer, a website dedicated to addressing data issues in research, while others had been posted several years ago. Many of the comments focused on duplicated images of experimental results, which could potentially impact the scientific conclusions drawn from the data.
Overall, this investigation has raised serious concerns about data integrity at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the credibility of the research conducted by its top researchers. The retractions and discrepancies in key scientific images are damaging not only to the reputation of the institute but also to the scientific community as a whole. It is crucial for institutions to prioritize data integrity and ensure that research findings are accurate and reliable. This case serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining high standards of scientific integrity in order to preserve the credibility of scientific research.