Prominent Cell Biologist Fired After Data Manipulation Investigation

The University of Tokyo confirmed last August that Yoshinori Watanabe tampered with research-related images, and dismissed him in late April.

| 1 min read

Register for free to listen to this article
Listen with Speechify
0:00
1:00
Share

Building at the University of TokyoFLICKR, CHAO-WEI JUANA University of Tokyo scientist known for his work on cell division has been fired, Retraction Watch reports. The university announced the “disciplinary dismissal” in a statement released on April 27.

The university began investigating Yoshinori Watanabe in August 2016 and released its findings a year later. According to an August 2017 article in Science, the investigating committee found five papers in which Watanabe’s group had falsified images and graphs. Of the affected papers, two appeared in Nature, two in Science, and one in EMBO Reports. (One of the Science publications has since been retracted.) But the committee recommended that disciplinary actions not be taken until it had completed its review of other papers.

Reporting on the same committee findings, Nature noted at the time that image enhancement was commonplace in Watanabe’s lab and that he taught trainees how to make the alterations. All of the members of the lab had already left before the findings ...

Interested in reading more?

Become a Member of

The Scientist Logo
Receive full access to more than 35 years of archives, as well as TS Digest, digital editions of The Scientist, feature stories, and much more!
Already a member? Login Here

Keywords

Meet the Author

  • Shawna Williams

    Shawna was an editor at The Scientist from 2017 through 2022. She holds a bachelor's degree in biochemistry from Colorado College and a graduate certificate and science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Share
TS Digest January 2025
January 2025, Issue 1

Why Do Some People Get Drunk Faster Than Others?

Genetics and tolerance shake up how alcohol affects each person, creating a unique cocktail of experiences.

View this Issue
Sex Differences in Neurological Research

Sex Differences in Neurological Research

bit.bio logo
New Frontiers in Vaccine Development

New Frontiers in Vaccine Development

Sino
New Approaches for Decoding Cancer at the Single-Cell Level

New Approaches for Decoding Cancer at the Single-Cell Level

Biotium logo
Learn How 3D Cell Cultures Advance Tissue Regeneration

Organoids as a Tool for Tissue Regeneration Research 

Acro 

Products

Artificial Inc. Logo

Artificial Inc. proof-of-concept data demonstrates platform capabilities with NVIDIA’s BioNeMo

Sapient Logo

Sapient Partners with Alamar Biosciences to Extend Targeted Proteomics Services Using NULISA™ Assays for Cytokines, Chemokines, and Inflammatory Mediators

Bio-Rad Logo

Bio-Rad Extends Range of Vericheck ddPCR Empty-Full Capsid Kits to Optimize AAV Vector Characterization

Scientist holding a blood sample tube labeled Mycoplasma test in front of many other tubes containing patient samples

Accelerating Mycoplasma Testing for Targeted Therapy Development