Michael Farthing

Michael John Godfrey Farthing (born 1948) is British emeritus professor at the University of Sussex, where he was previously its vice-chancellor (2007–2016). His early academic career was in medicine, specialising in gastroenterology.

Following an appointment as research fellow, honorary lecturer in gastroenterology at St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, in 1980, he was appointed Wellcome Tropical Lecturer and worked in India, Boston and Costa Rica as visiting lecturer and assistant professor. In 1983, upon returning to the UK, he became senior lecturer and honorary consultant back at Barts' department of gastroenterology. In 1990 he was appointed professor of gastroenterology at St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College and held this post for five years. He later became Executive Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Professor of Medicine at the University of Glasgow. Following this, he was honorary consultant gastroenterologist for the St George's Healthcare NHS Trust from 2003 to 2007.

From 1996 to 2002 he served as editor of Gut. It was during his time as editor that he came across the problem of research fraud. The problem of scientific misconduct led him, with other journal editors, lawyers and professor of ethics, to cofound a UK Committee on Publication Ethics, Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

In 2007, Farthing was appointed the seventh vice chancellor at University of Sussex, where he led plans for re-development.