Michael J. G. 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. 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).