Your top science stories from 2012
Resveratrol scandal
The uncovering of a seven year spate of alleged research fraud (reported here) by Dr Dipak Das from the University of Connecticut threatened to disgrace the resveratrol industry earlier this year.
The researcher is accused of publishing falsified data on the compound over seven years in 26 journal articles. The University alerted 11 journals that published the research about 145 instances of potential fraud following a three-year investigation into Das.
Six other researchers were named in the investigation conducted by the US Office of Research Integrity.
The researchers were accused of systematically manipulated images of data known as Western Blots to deliver a positive effect in cardiovascular results for at least 26 articles.
Industry observers and senior resveratrol researchers said guilty or otherwise, the incident would not halt clinical progress in the area.