Our Executive Office and Advisory Board orchestrate collaborative efforts to propel the integrity agenda forward.
Our Leadership
LUCIANA MACHADO
Executive Director
Dr. Luciana Machado brings extensive expertise and a passion for research integrity to her role as the Executive Director of the Science Integrity Alliance. With 20 years of experience as an Epidemiologist and Public Health Research Scientist, she has contributed to renowned research groups across multiple countries and authored numerous influential studies. Her work on understanding the biomedical and psychosocial factors underlying pain conditions and identifying best management strategies has guided clinical practices globally and improved patient care standards. Her research experience, combined with her background in leading multidisciplinary teams and mentoring students, has equipped Dr. Machado with a deep understanding of the challenges in implementing responsible research practices in real-world settings. This experience is invaluable in driving the organization's mission by developing strategies to overcome barriers to research integrity and encouraging a culture of transparency and accountability.
GOWRI GOPALAKRISHNA
Advisory Board Member
Dr. Gowri Gopalakrishna is a public health policy and research integrity expert at the Department of Epidemiology at Maastricht University and at the Amsterdam University Medical Center. She has served internationally on numerous high-level strategic and advisory committees, collaborating with the CDC, WHO, Health Canada, NICE, and various Ministries of Health. Her additional experience in private industry provides a key understanding of working with different stakeholders to implement evidence-based policy changes on the ground. Dr. Gopalakrishna led a major Dutch government funded national survey, one of the first of its kind, examining factors influencing research practices among Dutch academics, aiming to enhance research integrity across the academic landscape. She currently is leading a large Sub Saharan African EU project where she is looking at building capacity and strengthening research ethics and integrity in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda. Her other projects include addressing topics of open science, reproducibility and diversity, equity and inclusion in science.
DAVID MELLOR
Advisory Board Member
As Director of Policy at the Center for Open Science, David Mellor leads efforts to improve scientific practice through advocacy. He has a PhD in Ecology and Evolution, with a background spanning behavioral ecology, citizen science, and research reproducibility. David has held academic positions at Rutgers University and Virginia Tech, providing him with valuable insights into research practices across different institutions. His current work focuses on implementing open science tools such as the Transparency and Openness Promotion Guidelines (TOP) and preregistration of basic research. David is actively involved in initiatives to integrate open science practices into research at both grassroots and institutional levels, aiming to enhance research integrity and reproducibility across various scientific disciplines.
SIGMAR DE MELLO RODE
Advisory Board Member
Dr. Sigmar de Mello Rode is a Full Professor at Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) and Ethics Coordinator at SciELO. He has held leadership positions in several scientific editors' associations, including serving as President of the Brazilian Association of Scientific Editors (ABEC) and the Latin American Association of Scientific Editors (ALAEC). Currently, he is a Council member of the European Association for Scientific Editors (EASE). Dr. Rode's work focuses on promoting ethical practices, advancing open science principles, and improving diversity, equity, and accessibility in scientific publishing. He has conducted hundreds of lectures and workshops on scientific publications worldwide, emphasizing research integrity, open science, and aligning research with UN Sustainable Development Goals.
CHIEDOZIE IKE
Advisory Board Member
Chiedozie Ike is a senior consultant public health physician and research ethicist at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital. He also serves as a lecturer and desk officer for research integrity at Ambrose Alli University, Nigeria. He has pioneered several initiatives, including establishing the Office of Research Integrity at his teaching hospital, co-creating a virtual research clinic, and inventing the scientific Virtue Clock. Dr. Ike holds international roles, including work with the African Research Integrity Network (ARIN), representing his university in the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA), and serving as Director of Research Ethics, Integrity, and Public Health at the International Center for Applied Ethics and Public Affairs, Sheffield, UK. His current projects focus on innovative approaches to enhance the understanding of scientific integrity, particularly among students, using science integrity school clubs, cinema, music, photos, folktales, and science integrity games. He is a 2024 recipient of the Anderson-Kleinert Diversity Award for promoting research integrity. Dr. Ike is actively involved in promoting responsible research practices and research integrity education across Africa and globally.
JENNIFER BYRNE
Advisory Board Member
Dr. Jennifer Byrne is Professor of Molecular Oncology at the University of Sydney and Director of Biobanking- NSW Health with NSW Health Pathology, Australia. She has dedicated much of her career to analyzing childhood and adult cancers at the molecular level. Professor Byrne has served in previous leadership roles, including Head of the Children's Cancer Research Unit at The Children's Hospital at Westmead and Deputy Director of the Kids Cancer Alliance. She currently leads the PRIMeR group (Publication and Research Integrity in Medical Research) at the University of Sydney. Her ongoing research focuses on addressing systematic research fraud and improving human tissue biobank operations. Her expertise has been recognized internationally, including being named in Nature's Top 10 individuals for 2017 for her work identifying errors in research papers that could mislead researchers working on cancer treatments.
*Board members serve renewable three-year terms and may receive a compensation for their contributions.
A message from our founder
​The Science Integrity Alliance is our collective effort to instigate a cultural shift toward greater scientific integrity globally. We aim to confront and overcome challenges that currently contribute to a fragile trust in science. By fostering a community that values integrity, we aspire to ensure that rigor and openness are not just encouraged but are fundamental to all scientific work. I warmly invite you to join this mission and be part of a movement reshaping the landscape of research for a future where integrity is at the heart of all scientific endeavors.
Luciana Machado
Founder and Executive Director