Last weekend, Nankai University dismissed Quan Chen, dean of its College of Life Sciences, for failing to properly oversee the quality and authenticity of experimental data in a 2024 paper published in Nature Cancer, for which he served as the corresponding author, according to the South China Morning Post.

At the same time, Sun Yat-sen University announced the dismissal of Kang Tiebang, deputy director of the State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, and Kuang Dongming, associate dean of its School of Life Sciences.

The university said Kang was the corresponding author of a paper published in Nature Cell Biology in 2020 that contained multiple data and image errors. Kuang was accused of similar misconduct linked to three papers published in Nature Cell Biology, Science Advances and Cell.

(From top left to right) Chinese scientists Wang Ping, Chen Quan, Kang Tiebang and Kuang Dongming. Photo courtesy of their universities

The latest actions came three weeks after Tongji University removed Wang Ping, dean of its School of Life Sciences and a prominent cancer researcher, over fabricated data in a widely publicized cancer study published in the journal Nature, according to Caixin Global.

All four scientists had received China's National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars award, one of the country's highest honors for young researchers and widely regarded as a stepping stone to membership in its top scientific academies.

The cases were brought to public attention by a former doctoral student who now runs a science-focused social media account under the alias "Student Geng," which has more than 1.8 million followers.

In his videos, Geng said he used Microsoft Excel to identify unusual data patterns and artificial intelligence tools to help verify the authenticity of research images. He said that if researchers had forged the data "more skilfully", he might not have detected the irregularities.

He said he focuses on papers published in journals under the Nature brand by recipients of China's prestigious honors because he believes they should represent the highest standards of scientific research. His investigations sparked heated discussion on Chinese social media and prompted the universities involved to launch formal inquiries.

Last week, China's news agency Xinhua praised Geng for helping improve public understanding of science, while adding that research integrity issues should ultimately be addressed within universities and research institutions rather than on social media.

For decades, publishing in top international journals has been a crucial benchmark in Chinese academia. Such publications often determine whether scientists can secure millions of yuan in research funding, obtain permanent positions, or advance their academic careers.