Abderrahmane Kaidi
Abderrahmane Kaidi | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Biologist |
| Known for | Studies on cancer and DNA damage; research misconduct case |
Abderrahmane Kaidi is a biologist recognized for his studies on cancer and DNA damage. He became widely known after stepping down from his lecturer role at the University of Bristol following allegations of research misconduct. In 2018, an inquiry at the university confirmed that Kaidi had fabricated data to impress colleagues and facilitate collaborations, although this falsification was not intended for publication.
Prior to this, during his postdoctoral tenure at the Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Kaidi contributed several publications on DNA damage. Two notable articles—one published in Science (2010) and another in Nature (2013)—were both retracted in April 2019 after evidence emerged confirming data manipulation.
Education and career
Kaidi commenced his doctoral studies in Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of Bristol in 2003 under the guidance of Christos Paraskeva. His research contributed to insights into colorectal cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis. He completed his Ph.D. in 2007 with a dissertation titled The role of hypoxia in colorectal tumorigenesis. Subsequently, Kaidi pursued postdoctoral research focused on DNA damage at the Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, for five years. In 2010, he was awarded a research fellowship at Wolfson College, Cambridge, holding the Hershel Smith Research Fellowship from 2009 to 2012.
In 2013, Kaidi joined the University of Bristol as Senior Lecturer in Cellular and Molecular Medicine. His work on nuclear lamina and chromatin structure earned him the Wellcome Trust Seed Award in Science (2015) as well as the MRC New Investigator Award that same year. In 2016, he obtained a three-year grant from the Human Frontier Science Program in collaboration with researchers from the University of Marburg and Kindai University. In January 2018, eLife recognized him as an "ambassador of good practice in science."
On 13 September 2018, Kaidi resigned from his university position after admitting to research fraud.
Misconduct
In 2018, allegations against Kaidi regarding data fabrication and inappropriate behavior towards colleagues prompted an investigation by the University of Bristol. He confessed to manipulating experimental data to deceive a research partner and accepted full responsibility without involving others. Kaidi maintained that this falsified data was not meant for publication and chose to resign.
Retraction of research papers
From 2007 to 2013, while a postdoctoral fellow at the Gurdon Institute, Kaidi co-authored three papers published in prestigious journals: Nature, Science, and The EMBO Journal. The 2010 article in Science explored SIRT6’s function in DNA repair; the 2010 EMBO Journal paper examined CHD4’s role in DNA damage response; and the 2013 Nature publication investigated KAT5’s participation in DNA damage signaling pathways.
Following Bristol’s investigation, Kaidi admitted to fabricating data within two Cambridge-based publications. The University of Cambridge conducted its own review, confirming misconduct related to both the Science and Nature papers. Both journals formally retracted these articles in April 2019, attributing all data falsification exclusively to Kaidi. The EMBO Journal reviewed its article but determined no grounds for retraction.
These developments severely undermined Kaidi’s reputation in the scientific community and underscore challenges associated with maintaining research integrity amid prominent academic partnerships.