Jana Christopher

Image Integrity Analyst

Who I am

I was the first image integrity analyst at EMBO Press, when the program started in 2011. 

At the end of 2015, I started my own business, and joined FEBS Press in 2017. 

My assignments come from various other journals and publishers including SpringerNature and The Royal Society,

I also run training courses, and regularly present to students and young scientists.

My background is in theatre arts and linguistics. In 2002 I obtained an MA in Bilingual Translation from Westminster University, London, before returning to Germany and starting a new career in publishing.

I live in Heidelberg with my husband, we have two daughters.

What I do ...

Image analysis of blots, microscopy images photographs, diagrams, graphs, plots

• Processing of a variety of images using Photoshop to enhance hidden morphological details

• detection of manipulations including splicing, cloning, erasing, stretching, and various types of duplications 

• verification of potential duplications with overlay techniques

... and why I do it

Research misconduct can misdirect research effort, waste funds, and damage public trust in science

It is beneficial to both authors and journals to detect questionable images before they become part of the published literature

Paper mills are a threat to the scientific record