Week in Review: October 17–21

Report finds that pathologist involved in anonymous defamation case committed multiple acts of misconduct; growing eggs from stem cells; neutrophils’ role in metastasis; convergent evolution in birds

Written byJef Akst

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Former Wayne State University pathologist Fazlul Sarkar, who is trying to sue anonymous commenters on the PubPeer review site for defamation, is guilty of multiple acts of research misconduct, according to a university investigative panel report obtained by The Scientist. In total, the university investigated more than 140 allegations and recommended that 42 of the researcher’s publications be retracted. According to the lawyers involved in the case—which last month appeared in front of the Michigan Court of Appeals for arguments over whether PubPeer must release the identities of its anonymous commenters who critiqued Sarkar’s papers—the university’s findings could impact his defamation claims. In fact, based on The Scientist’s coverage, PubPeer’s legal team yesterday (October 20) filed a motion with the court asking it to consider the fact that the report exists in its ongoing decision.

By reprogramming murine embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), researchers have ...

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Meet the Author

Jef Akst
Jef (an unusual nickname for Jennifer) got her master’s degree from Indiana University in April 2009 studying the mating behavior of seahorses. After four years of diving off the Gulf Coast of Tampa and performing behavioral experiments at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, she left research to pursue a career in science writing. As The Scientist's managing editor, Jef edited features and oversaw the production of the TS Digest and quarterly print magazine. In 2022, her feature on uterus transplantation earned first place in the trade category of the Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism. She is a member of the National Association of Science Writers.
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