Lab supply firms sold antibodies using manipulated images, study finds
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A Northwestern University researcher found image manipulation in marketing materials for over 17,000 commercial antibodies. The manipulations included background removal, data duplication, and fabricated results. The findings raise concerns about the reliability of widely used research reagents.
Key Facts
- Reese Richardson, a post-doc at Northwestern University, identified image manipulation in marketing for over 17,000 commercial antibodies.
- The manipulations ranged from removing background noise to copying and pasting data to fabricate results.
- Antibodies are essential for several widely used lab techniques, including locating proteins in cells and tissues.
- Commercial antibodies to many key proteins can be ordered for overnight delivery.
Image Manipulation Discovery
In May, Reese Richardson, a post-doc at Northwestern University, discovered that some images used to demonstrate antibody performance had been subject to manipulation. The manipulations ranged from removing background noise to copying and pasting data to fabricate results. A more exhaustive search found problematic manipulations in images used to market over 17,000 commercial antibodies.
Role of Antibodies in Research
Antibodies are nearly ubiquitous in biological research, being essential for several widely used lab techniques. They are used to locate proteins within cultured cells, identify tissues that produce a protein in organs or embryos, and analyze protein modifications. Commercial antibodies to many key proteins can be ordered for overnight delivery.
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Lab supply firms sold antibodies using manipulated images, study finds
