Thread on Research Fraud by Leading Scientists in China
Peer reviewed research by Chinese scientists not trusted
1/x Immunologist Xuetao Cao is one of the most important scientists in China. The Academician & General is also Chairman of research integrity of all Chinese research
2/x However, we now know that Cao’s research works contain elaborately falsified research data.
The discovery was made by data integrity sleuth:
Elizabeth Bik @MicrobiomDigest assisted by @SmutClyde and others.
Great article summing up the issue https://forbetterscience.com/2019/11/18/the-teachings-of-chairman-cao/
The Teachings of Chairman Cao

The immunologist Xuetao Cao is one of the most important scientists in China. The Academician and General is also Chairman of research integrity of all Chinese research. Now Elisabeth Bik scrutinis


https://forbetterscience.com/2019/11/18/the-teachings-of-chairman-cao/
3/x A follow up to the Xuetao Cao affair looks at “Flaw Cytometry”, decorated with some recurrent western blots. Before proceeding, readers are instructed to first inform themselves what this is about, by studying & then reciting previous article out loud. https://forbetterscience.com/2019/11/19/promote-scientific-spirit-build-chinese-school-of-thought/
“Promote scientific spirit, build Chinese school of thought”

Are you excited about the massive research integrity hypocrisy around China’s first immunologist Xuetao Cao? Smut Clyde will explain to you the Flaw Cytometry and other naughtiness they uncov


https://forbetterscience.com/2019/11/19/promote-scientific-spirit-build-chinese-school-of-thought/
4/x @MicrobiomDigest updated her thorough investigation with links to news reports, which can be found here:
https://scienceintegritydigest.com/2019/11/19/concerns-about-a-top-immunology-lab/
This new story about Xuetao Cao did not disappear, and it became a trending topic on Chinese news & social media sites, getting millions of views.
Concerns about a top immunology lab

This post is not an accusation of misconduct. Five years ago, in 2014, I reported three papers from the same lab with possible image duplications to the journals in which they had been published. O


https://scienceintegritydigest.com/2019/11/19/concerns-about-a-top-immunology-lab/
5/x Before we move on to more cases of academic fraud, you would be wise to read @MicrobiomDigest lucid explanation of "Western Blots" and how they are often duplicated & manipulated in scientific papers. https://scienceintegritydigest.com/2020/02/21/western-blots/#more-1016
Western blots

Many image problems (duplications, manipulations) in scientific papers are found within Western blots. Several readers have asked me to explain what Western blots are, so here is a blog post writte


https://scienceintegritydigest.com/2020/02/21/western-blots/#more-1016
6/ x Another issue of concern is so-called "Paper Mills" (a shady company that produces scientific papers on demand). described by Mara Hvistendahl in:
‘China’s Publication Bazaar‘
http://sharif.edu/~ghodsi/PaP/china.pdf
Data included in these papers is often falsified or fabricated.
7/x How Paper Mills can ruin Science
Jennifer Byrne discusses a new threat to biomarker research via systematic production of fraudulent gene knockdown studies that target under-studied human genes.
Fraudulent papers are produced in series by paper mills using "salami slicing"
8/x
She describes features of single-gene knockdown papers that allow them to evade detection by journal editors, peer reviewers & readers:
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1177271919829162
Jennifer Byrne interviewed here: https://www.elsevier.com/connect/editors-update/meet-the-woman-whos-tracking-down-systematic-research-fraud
Meet the woman who’s tracking down systematic research fraud

An interview with Jennifer A. Byrne

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1177271919829162
9/x
Jennifer discusses "Seek & Blastn", a free online tool that you can use to identify, extract and fact check nucleotide sequences in publications:
http://scigendetection.imag.fr/TPD52/Va/ 
10/x Data Thugs
Time to listen to a short podcast about 2 “data thugs” who have designed tools that can identify suspicious data, where they discuss some of their more interesting cases of academic fraud https://mises.org/library/james-heathers-why-science-needs-data-thugs
James Heathers: Why Science Needs Data Thugs

Will it take data vigilantes to restore some order in the House of Science? With the replication crisis showing no sign of letting up, some committed scientists have taken it upon themselves to find

https://mises.org/library/james-heathers-why-science-needs-data-thugs
11/ x We cannot afford to assume that because science is funded by taxpayers (GVP), it is trustworthy & unbiased. Grant-giving agencies, universities & individual scientists all have agendas & try to publish material which makes their dogmas appear true.e.g: Fauci, Daszak, Holmes
11/ x We cannot afford to assume that because science is funded by taxpayers (GVP), it is trustworthy & unbiased. Grant-giving agencies, universities & individual scientists all have agendas & try to publish material which makes their dogmas appear true.e.g: Fauci, Daszak, Holmes
11/ x We cannot afford to assume that because science is funded by taxpayers (GVP), it is trustworthy & unbiased. Grant-giving agencies, universities & individual scientists all have agendas & try to publish material which makes their dogmas appear true.e.g: Fauci, Daszak, Holmes
11/ x We cannot afford to assume that because science is funded by taxpayers (GVP), it is trustworthy & unbiased. Grant-giving agencies, universities & individual scientists all have agendas & try to publish material which makes their dogmas appear true.e.g: Fauci, Daszak, Holmes
12/x Example of recent academic fraud involving images, a Chinese paper co-authored by @edwardcholmes attempted to support the "natural origin" of SARSCOV2 by falsifying data leading to false conclusions (broadcasted globally):
https://twitter.com/idomyownexpts/status/1260221619563311104 https://twitter.com/Daoyu15/status/1260159421042188288
13/x I don't wish to make this thread into a China "bashing" session, but we need to be aware of the extent of fraud.
Let's start by taking a peek inside the shadowy world of China's fake science research black market: https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2018-09-13/the-fake-science-trade-inside-chinas-research-black-market/10238730
Inside the 'shadowy world' of China's fake science research black market - ABC News

In China, there's a growing black market peddling fake research papers, fake peer reviews, and even entirely fake research results to anyone who will pay. Does the rise of fake and fraudulent science...

https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2018-09-13/the-fake-science-trade-inside-chinas-research-black-market/10238730
14/ x
"When cancer research journal "Tumor Biology" retracted 107 papers last year, a dubious new world record was set which shocked scientists around the world, largely because all 107 papers were penned by Chinese researchers"
The Editor of Tumor Biology did not respond đŸ€
15/x Summary so far
We have seen how scientific research is plagued by hidden agendas, image manipulation & duplication, as well as "paper mills" selling fake research papers & even entirely fake research results to anyone who will pay, especially in China.
15/x Summary so farWe have seen how scientific research is plagued by hidden agendas, image manipulation & duplication, as well as "paper mills" selling fake research papers & even entirely fake research results to anyone who will pay, especially in China.
15/x Summary so farWe have seen how scientific research is plagued by hidden agendas, image manipulation & duplication, as well as "paper mills" selling fake research papers & even entirely fake research results to anyone who will pay, especially in China.
15/x Summary so farWe have seen how scientific research is plagued by hidden agendas, image manipulation & duplication, as well as "paper mills" selling fake research papers & even entirely fake research results to anyone who will pay, especially in China.
15/x Summary so farWe have seen how scientific research is plagued by hidden agendas, image manipulation & duplication, as well as "paper mills" selling fake research papers & even entirely fake research results to anyone who will pay, especially in China.
16/x Got to get some sleep, more to come tomorrow,
In the meantime another great podcast:
Mass retractions by scientific journals of papers penned by Chinese scientists has exposed a major problem for China and for science globally. But is China alone? https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/sciencefriction/science-fraud-china-v2/10179248
The Great Leap Fraud: China's wake-up call on scientific misconduct and fake science

You've heard of fake news, but what about fake science? The shocking, shady world of the modern scientific marketplace. A special for ABC RN's China In Focus series featuring Ivan Oransky of Retrac...

https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/sciencefriction/science-fraud-china-v2/10179248
17/x Update
3 Chinese academic heavyweights are implicated in separate academic fraud cases involving fake research papers.
"Fraud fighter" Fang Zhouzi (right) & Xiao Chuanguo, who hired someone to attack Fang after Fang called out on his academic fraud.
18/x
Accusations by former Dean of Peking University’s School of Life Sciences, Rao Yi, in a letter published by the media.
The academics involved in this research scandal are: Li Hongliang, doctoral advisor and President of Wuhan University School of Basic Medical Sciences;
18/xAccusations by former Dean of Peking University’s School of Life Sciences, Rao Yi, in a letter published by the media. The academics involved in this research scandal are: Li Hongliang, doctoral advisor and President of Wuhan University School of Basic Medical Sciences;
18/xAccusations by former Dean of Peking University’s School of Life Sciences, Rao Yi, in a letter published by the media. The academics involved in this research scandal are: Li Hongliang, doctoral advisor and President of Wuhan University School of Basic Medical Sciences;
18/xAccusations by former Dean of Peking University’s School of Life Sciences, Rao Yi, in a letter published by the media. The academics involved in this research scandal are: Li Hongliang, doctoral advisor and President of Wuhan University School of Basic Medical Sciences;
19/x
Next one in the letter was:
Pei Gang, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences & doctoral advisor at Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry & Cell Biology
http://www.sibcb.ac.cn/ePI.asp?id=51 
http://sourcedb.sibs.cas.cn/yw/rck/200906/t20090629_1856117.html
http://www.chinavitae.com/biography/Pei_Gang/career
19/xNext one in the letter was:Pei Gang, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences & doctoral advisor at Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry & Cell Biology http://www.sibcb.ac.cn/ePI.asp?id=51  http://sourcedb.sibs.cas.cn/yw/rck/200906/t20090629_1856117.html http://www.chinavitae.com/biography/Pei_Gang/career
19/xNext one in the letter was:Pei Gang, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences & doctoral advisor at Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry & Cell Biology http://www.sibcb.ac.cn/ePI.asp?id=51  http://sourcedb.sibs.cas.cn/yw/rck/200906/t20090629_1856117.html http://www.chinavitae.com/biography/Pei_Gang/career
19/xNext one in the letter was:Pei Gang, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences & doctoral advisor at Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry & Cell Biology http://www.sibcb.ac.cn/ePI.asp?id=51  http://sourcedb.sibs.cas.cn/yw/rck/200906/t20090629_1856117.html http://www.chinavitae.com/biography/Pei_Gang/career
19/xNext one in the letter was:Pei Gang, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences & doctoral advisor at Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry & Cell Biology http://www.sibcb.ac.cn/ePI.asp?id=51  http://sourcedb.sibs.cas.cn/yw/rck/200906/t20090629_1856117.html http://www.chinavitae.com/biography/Pei_Gang/career
20/ x
Final one is Geng Meiyu, DG of CAS Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica
"Though some original images were selected incorrectly in the remaining three papers, there was no evidence of image stitching and forgery...."
https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1171723.shtml
http://sourcedb.simm.cas.cn/yw/zjrcyw/201111/t20111122_3400177.html
Initial probe clears Chinese Alzheimer's drug developer of academic fraud

A preliminary probe by the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) acquitted Geng Meiyu, the lead developer of the drug GV971 for Alzheimer's disease, of...

https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1171723.shtml
21/x Rao’s letter to President Li Jinghai of National Natural Science Foundation of China called for thorough check of Li Hongliang’s “outrageous fraudulent research in the past 17 years & a strict review of Pei Gang’s use of Foundation to fund his paper https://www.thinkchina.sg/chinas-fight-against-academic-fraud
China's fight against academic fraud

In the unfolding academic fraud furore in China, Rao Yi, former dean of Peking University’s School of Life Sciences and president of Capital Medical University, fires a salvo of new accusations...

https://www.thinkchina.sg/chinas-fight-against-academic-fraud
22/x Whitewash
Subsequently, they were cleared of fraud by in house investigations:
1. Geng Meiyu,: https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1171723.shtml
2. Li Hongliang: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201802/05/WS5a7809f3a3106e7dcc13ad91.html
3. Pei Gang
https://www.facebook.com/111190206982472/posts/136886977746128/
22/x WhitewashSubsequently, they were cleared of fraud by in house investigations:1. Geng Meiyu,: https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1171723.shtml2. Li Hongliang: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201802/05/WS5a7809f3a3106e7dcc13ad91.html3. Pei Gang https://www.facebook.com/111190206982472/posts/136886977746128/
22/x WhitewashSubsequently, they were cleared of fraud by in house investigations:1. Geng Meiyu,: https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1171723.shtml2. Li Hongliang: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201802/05/WS5a7809f3a3106e7dcc13ad91.html3. Pei Gang https://www.facebook.com/111190206982472/posts/136886977746128/
22/x WhitewashSubsequently, they were cleared of fraud by in house investigations:1. Geng Meiyu,: https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1171723.shtml2. Li Hongliang: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201802/05/WS5a7809f3a3106e7dcc13ad91.html3. Pei Gang https://www.facebook.com/111190206982472/posts/136886977746128/
22/x WhitewashSubsequently, they were cleared of fraud by in house investigations:1. Geng Meiyu,: https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1171723.shtml2. Li Hongliang: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201802/05/WS5a7809f3a3106e7dcc13ad91.html3. Pei Gang https://www.facebook.com/111190206982472/posts/136886977746128/
23/ x
"After 2 rounds of investigations, committee finally unanimous concluded that Li Hongliang's team had not conducted academic fraud. There were some negligence in the writing of the papers & Li Hongliang's team has been advised to be more rigorous & meticulous in the future"
24/x 3 blind 🐁
Specific details & images of 3 whitewashed fraud cases here:
http://www.zhishifenzi.com/news/multiple/494.html
https://www.smalltechnews.com/archives/27132 
https://www.thinkchina.sg/chinas-fight-against-academic-fraud
https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1004909/researchers-dismiss-doubts-raised-about-new-alzheimers-drug
https://www.weibo.com/1642632622/IirLN0gD6?refer_flag=1001030103_&type=comment#_rnd1590957532064
http://www.zhishifenzi.com/news/multiple/494.html
Investigation into peer review fraud in China to follow
Researchers Dismiss Doubts Raised About New Alzheimer’s Drug

A high-profile neuroscientist has accused several of China’s top academics of fabricating research.

http://www.zhishifenzi.com/news/multiple/494.html
25/x Investigation into peer review fraud in China

will be updated in near future
26/ Updates to this thread via @santiagomiriuka
https://twitter.com/santiagomiriuka/status/1276659992310026246
"I have seen increasing number of papers coming from #China that bother me & many scientists
All of them have same format with title & idea
"mir-XXX targets lncRNA-yyy preventing cell cycle in cancer-ZZZ"
27/ Updates to this thread via @santiagomiriuka https://forbetterscience.com/2020/01/24/the-full-service-paper-mill-and-its-chinese-customers/
The full-service paper mill and its Chinese customers

An investigation by Elisabeth Bik, Smut Clyde, Morty and Tiger BB8 reveals the workings of a paper mill. Its customers are Chinese doctors desperate for promotion. Apparently even journal editors a


https://forbetterscience.com/2020/01/24/the-full-service-paper-mill-and-its-chinese-customers/
27/ Updates to this thread via @santiagomiriuka https://forbetterscience.com/2019/04/23/professor-zhaos-paper-mill-of-fraud/
Professor Zhao’s paper mill of fraud

A cancer research professor in China runs a paper mill, sources claim he sells first authorships for a bribe. Problem for his customers: the peer-reviewed papers they pay for, contain fake data.

https://forbetterscience.com/2019/04/23/professor-zhaos-paper-mill-of-fraud/
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