Formal Notice Regarding Conflicts of Interest and Integrity Risks in Taylor & Francis’ Research Integrity & Ethics Office

To: Taylor & Francis, the Research Integrity & Ethics Office, and the Office of Publishing Ethics & Integrity
Attention: Laura Wilson, Head of Research Integrity & Ethics; Dr. Sabina Alam, Director of Publishing Ethics & Integrity

Dear Ms. Wilson and Dr. Alam,

This correspondence is intended to serve as a formal notice to Taylor & Francis, its Research Integrity & Ethics Office, and its Office of Publishing Ethics & Integrity regarding serious conflicts of interest, undisclosed affiliations, and potential abuses of position by your Research Integrity Manager, Nick Wise (appointed January 2025).

As has been publicly documented (https://x.com/SciGuardians/status/1964740406853185692), Mr. Wise has engaged extensively on PubPeer — both under his real identity and under fake aliases such as “Simnia avena.” This includes more than 1,300 entries under his own name and over 100 entries under the alias, in coordination with individuals widely identified as part of the PubPeer Network Mob. These activities have continued after his appointment to your office, raising concerns of both undisclosed conflicts of interest and improper external collaboration.

We hereby place Taylor & Francis on notice of the following material concerns:

1. Conflicts of Interest:
   Whether Mr. Wise has disclosed his PubPeer activity, including his use of aliases and collaborations with PubPeer Network Mob members. A failure to disclose such information represents a material conflict of interest under any reasonable standard of research governance.

2. Post-Appointment Conduct:
   Evidence shows Mr. Wise has remained active on PubPeer under the alias Simnia avena after assuming his Taylor & Francis role. This raises serious questions about dual loyalties, impartiality, and the ability to act in good faith in matters of research integrity.

3. Collaboration with External Actors:
   Mr. Wise’s continued engagement with compromised external actors while serving in your office presents a risk of collusion and the potential abuse of his position in influencing retraction processes, expressions of concern, or other editorial outcomes.

4. Abuse of Confidential Information:
   As Research Integrity Manager, Mr. Wise has privileged access to sensitive internal information, including submissions, reviews, and deliberations. Any improper disclosure or use of this information would represent a serious breach of confidentiality and could expose Taylor & Francis to liability for harm caused to researchers.

Notice of Record:

• This communication is provided so that Taylor & Francis cannot later claim lack of awareness.

• This notice itself will be preserved and may be used as evidence by any third parties who may suffer reputational, professional, or other forms of harm. Given Mr. Wise’s ongoing presence within Taylor & Francis and his unrestricted access to sensitive internal information by virtue of his role, any such damage can reasonably be associated with the risks created by this conflict of interest and your office’s failure to address it.

• Any incidents arising after January 2025 that are influenced, directly or indirectly, by Mr. Wise’s compromised activities may render Taylor & Francis, and specifically its Research Integrity & Ethics Office, accountable both ethically and legally for failure to act upon due warning.

• In the interest of transparency and accountability, this notice will be made publicly available immediately, ensuring the academic community is fully informed.

We urge your office to address these concerns transparently and immediately. The failure to take corrective measures or to provide a clear explanation will substantially increase both the reputational and potential legal consequences for Taylor & Francis.

Sincerely,
Elias Verum
On behalf of ScienceGuardians™
scienceguardians.com
𝕏 @SciGuardians
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