Harvard Neuroscientist Faces Serious Allegations of Research Misconduct

Accusations include data falsification and plagiarism in over two decades of published work.

Top Harvard Medical School neuroscientist Khalid Shah is accused of falsifying data and plagiarizing images across 21 papers, with allegations spanning from 2001 to 2023.
Elisabeth M. Bik, a data manipulation expert, used AI software and reverse image searches to identify instances of misconduct, including images lifted from other scientists' research and scientific vendors.
The most significant concerns involve a 2022 paper in Nature Communications, where Shah was the corresponding author, containing images from seven other papers and two scientific vendors.
Several scientific journals, including Nature Communications, are investigating the allegations, while Mass General Brigham emphasizes its commitment to high research standards.
This case adds to a series of research integrity concerns involving prominent scientists, including allegations leading to the resignation of former Stanford president Marc T. Tessier-Lavigne.