[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 240 (Monday, December 15, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74091-74092]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-29295]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary


Findings of Research Misconduct

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Office of Research Integrity 
(ORI) has taken final action in the following case:
    H. Rosie Xing, Ph.D., University of Chicago: Based on the report of 
an investigation conducted by the University of Chicago (UC) and 
additional analysis by ORI in its oversight review, ORI found that Dr. 
H. Rosie Xing, former Assistant Professor, UC, engaged in research 
misconduct in research supported by National Cancer Institute (NCI), 
National Institutes of Health (NIH), grant R01 CA098022.
    ORI found that Respondent engaged in research misconduct (42 CFR 
93.103-104) by using images that had been among a set of manipulated 
images produced while at another institution, which had been found to 
be false by that institution. ORI found that Respondent falsely 
reported these images in Figures 1D, 2A, and Supplementary Figures 1B

[[Page 74092]]

and 1C in Molecular Cancer Therapeutics 9:2724-36, 2010. The Respondent 
does not agree with ORI's finding of research misconduct and asserts 
that there are extenuating circumstances for her actions.
    Specifically, ORI found that Respondent:
    1. included falsely labeled immunoblots in Figures 1D and 2A as 
follows:
    a. Figure 1D (lower panel), representing the total ERK levels in 
extracts from cells exposed to 15 Gy of gamma radiation for 0-120 
minutes, by using results from an unrelated experiment for MAPK levels 
in extracts from cells exposed to 2, 12, or 20 Gy of gamma irradiation 
for 1, 5, 20, or 60 minutes
    b. Figure 2A (KSR1 panel), representing a control Flag-KSR1 
immunoblot for extracts of cells transfected with control (TRE), wild-
type KSR (KSR-S), or dominant negative inactive KSR (DN-KSR) exposed to 
no radiation or 5 minutes gamma irradiation, by using results form an 
unrelated experiment for KSR-transfected cells (KSR-S) irradiated with 
0, 2, 5, 20, 15, 20 Gy irradiation
    c. Figure 2A (ERK panel), representing a control ERK immunoblot for 
extracts of cells transfected with control (TRE), wild-type KSR (KSR-
S), or dominant negative inactive KSR (DN-KSR) exposed to no radiation 
or 5 minutes gamma irradiation, by using results from an unrelated 
experiment for KSR-transfected cells (KSR-S) irradiated with 0, 2, 5, 
10, 15, 20 Gy irradiation
    2. included falsified images in Figures 1D, 2A, and Supplementary 
Figures 1B and 1C by duplicating bands within the figures as follows:
    a. Figure 1D (top panel) for an immunoblot for p-ERK in A431 cells, 
by using the same bands to represent cells treated with ionizing 
radiation for 5 and 10 minutes with the bands for 60 and 90 minutes
    b. Figure 2A (top) for an in vitro kinase assay for p-GST-Elk-1, by 
duplicating lanes 2 and 5 to represent the control plasmid (TRE) at 5 
minutes post radiation (lane 2) and the dominant negative inactive KSR 
(DN-KSR) NT lane (lane 5)
    c. Supplementary Figure 1B (middle panel) for an in vitro kinase 
assay for p-GST-MEK, by using the same bands to represent cells exposed 
to 5 and 20 Gy ionizing radiation
    d. Supplementary Figure 1C (top panel) for an immunoblot for p-
MEK1/2, by using the same bands to represent cells exposed to 2 and 20 
Gy ionizing radiation
    Dr. Xing has entered into a Voluntary Settlement Agreement 
(Agreement) and has voluntarily agreed:
    (1) that if within three (3) years from the effective date of the 
Agreement, Respondent receives or applies for U.S. Public Health 
Service (PHS) support, Respondent agrees to have her PHS-supported 
research supervised for a period of three (3) years beginning on the 
date of her employment in which she receives or applies for PHS 
support, and to notify her employer(s)/institution(s) of the terms of 
this supervision; Respondent agrees that prior to the submission of an 
application for PHS support for a research project on which the 
Respondent's participation is proposed and prior to Respondent's 
participation in any capacity on PHS-supported research, Respondent 
shall ensure that a plan for supervision of her duties is submitted to 
ORI for approval; the supervision plan must be designed to ensure the 
scientific integrity of Respondent's research; Respondent agrees that 
she shall not participate in any PHS-supported research until such a 
supervision plan is submitted to and approved by ORI; Respondent agrees 
to maintain responsibility for compliance with the agreed upon 
supervision plan;
    (2) that if within three (3) years from the effective date of this 
Agreement, Respondent receives or applies for PHS support, for a period 
of three (3) years beginning on the date of her employment in which she 
receives or applies for PHS support, any institution employing her to 
work on PHS-supported projects shall submit, in conjunction with each 
application for PHS funds, or report, manuscript, or abstract involving 
PHS-supported research in which Respondent is involved, a certification 
to ORI that the data provided by Respondent are based on actual 
experiments or are otherwise legitimately derived and that the data, 
procedures, and methodology are accurately reported in the application, 
report, manuscript, or abstract; and
    (3) to exclude herself voluntarily from serving in any advisory 
capacity to PHS including, but not limited to, service on any PHS 
advisory committee, board, and/or peer review committee, or as a 
consultant for a period of three (3) years beginning on November 13, 
2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Acting Director, Office of Research 
Integrity, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 750, Rockville, MD 20852, (240) 
453-8200.

Donald Wright,
Acting Director, Office of Research Integrity.
[FR Doc. 2014-29295 Filed 12-12-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-31-P