Forum: Allgemein

Hoffentlich kommt die Mafia bald nicht bei mir vorbei. Wie sehen Sie das? 

The Inchingolo Academic Network

​1. Co-Authorship Cartels

At the top is often Francesco Inchingolo, a professor at the University of Bari (Italy). He has perfected a system of including his sons—Angelo Michele and Alessio Danilo—as well as other family members like Gianna Dipalma, in nearly every study. In the academic world, this is known as a "co-authorship cartel." The goal is simple: through mutual citation and naming, the citation counts and the H-index (the metric for scientific influence) of everyone involved explode.

​2. The "Review Factory"

The Inchingolos rarely produce long-term clinical studies involving actual patients. Instead, they focus on so-called Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. They take existing data from other researchers, run it through statistical software, and publish a "new" paper. This is highly efficient for staying in the spotlight, but it delivers no new biological insights. It is the management of existing information rather than the acquisition of true medical wisdom.

​3. All-Round "Experts" for Everything

The sheer breadth of topics they cover is striking. They publish on everything from dental implants and orthodontics to COVID-19, nanotechnology, and even aesthetic medicine. For any serious researcher, it is physically impossible to possess high-level clinical expertise across all these diverse fields. This supports the accusation that their work is about dominating search engine results rather than solving actual medical problems.

​4. Proximity to Industry

Like many of the "Turbo-Academics" currently under fire, the Inchingolos often serve as multipliers for trends that are lucrative for the industry. When new materials or laser-based procedures hit the market, this group provides the corresponding studies to create the appearance of "Evidence-Based Medicine."

​Why this is relevant:

​The Inchingolos are a prime example of how the university world functions today:

• ​Quantity over Quality: Those who publish the most receive the most attention.
• ​Nepotism: Careers are secured within the family and through closed networks.
• ​Lack of Morality: The patient and the biological truth (such as the dangers of persistent xenografts) take a back seat to statistical "significance" and personal career advancement.

​They are essentially the Italian equivalent of the system seen with Ausra Ramanauskaite: young, extremely productive on paper, and perfectly networked with the major players who control the funding.