I am a scientific integrity expert and whistleblower. My criticisms of scientific papers have led to hundreds of corrections and retractions of scientific papers including from prestigious journals including Nature and Science. In 2026 I settled a lawsuit with the Dana Farber Cancer Institute helping the NIH recover millions of dollars in grant funding for which I was awarded a whistle-blower share of $2.63 million dollars.
My work on scientific errors and fraud has been featured in the The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Guardian, as well as many other national newspapers and magazines. My work is also frequently covered for scientific news websites including for Nature News, Science News, Chemistry World, Retraction Watch, and more. In 2024 I was featured in Time Magazine’s Time 100 Health list and their Time 100 Next list. In 2025 I was shortlisted for the Maddox prize which recognizes researchers who stand up and speak out for science. I have been invited to give keynote addresses at conferences, spoken on panels, and given talks at seminars and workshops.
I have a particular interest in scientific images but my work also spans a wide range of scientific errors including problematic cell lines, antibody mistakes, flawed clinical trials, meta-analysis errors, and more.
Please feel free to reach out for any informal discussions about research integrity. I am also available for short term projects related to research integrity, to provide consulting, training, and I would be happy to talk at relevant scientific events about errors and fraud in the scientific literature.
Sholto David, PhD 