Sun Yat-sen University in Guangdong province has penalized several researchers following an investigation into image and data irregularities in academic papers.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the university said online allegations prompted an immediate probe. One of the researchers, surnamed Kang, a corresponding author of a paper on cancer metastasis, was found to have multiple image and table data errors, along with irregular raw data records.

He was removed from his deputy director posts at two key research institutions, had his professional rank lowered, and was suspended from project applications, awards, and graduate student supervision for 12 months. He has also been ordered to correct or retract the paper.

The first author of one implicated paper, surnamed Liao, has also been demoted in professional rank and was suspended from obtaining a higher professional rank, project applications, awards, and graduate student supervision for 12 months.

Another corresponding author, surnamed Kuang, was found to have image and data errors in three separate papers, two of which have since been corrected or are under correction.

Kuang has been removed from his post as vice-dean of the university's School of Life Sciences. He has his professional rank lowered and has been suspended from project applications, awards, and graduate student supervision for 24 months. He has also been ordered to correct or retract the paper.

The first author of one implicated paper, surnamed Wan, was provisionally denied a degree for one year.

The university also examined two other papers but found no evidence of image or data manipulation as alleged.

"The university maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward research misconduct," the notice read, adding that it will strengthen integrity in education and tighten oversight of research data, lab records, image use, and manuscript submissions.