[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 151 (Friday, August 5, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47589-47590]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-19930]


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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:
    Sheng Wang, PhD, Boston University School of Medicine Cancer 
Research Center: Based on the Respondent's acceptance of ORI's research 
misconduct findings, ORI found that Dr. Sheng Wang, who has been an 
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Boston University School 
of Medicine Cancer Research Center (BUSM), engaged in research 
misconduct in research supported by National Cancer Institute (NCI), 
National Institutes of Health (NIH), grants R01 CA102940 and R01 
CA101992.
    ORI found that the Respondent engaged in research misconduct by 
fabricating data that were included in two (2) published papers:

    1. Zhang, B., Faller, D.V., Wang, S. ``HIC1 regulates tumor cell 
responses to endocrine therapies.'' Mol. Endocrinol. 23(12):2075-85, 
2009; and
    2. Zhang, B., Chambers, K.J., Leprince, D., Faller, D.V., Wang, 
S. ``Requirement for chromatin-remodeling complex in novel tumor 
suppressor HIC1-mediated transcriptional repression and growth 
control.'' Oncogene 28(5):651-61, 2009.

    Specifically, ORI found that Respondent:
     Fabricated RT-PCR and ChIP experiments represented in 
Figures 1b, 2b, 3a,b, 4b,c, 6a,b, 7c in Mol. Endocrinol. 23(12):2075-
85, 2009; RT-PCR and/or ChIP experiments were included in six (6) of 
seven (7) figures in this publication; and
     Fabricated RT-PCR and ChIP experiments represented in 
Figures 2a,b,

[[Page 47590]]

3a,b, 4a,c, 5a,b, 6b,c, 8a,b in Oncogene 28(5):651-61, 2009; RT-PCR 
and/or ChIP experiments were included in six (6) of eight (8) figures 
in this publication.
    Respondent has entered into a Voluntary Exclusion Agreement 
(Agreement). Respondent and the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) want 
to conclude this matter without further expenditure of time or other 
resources. Respondent accepts ORI's findings of research misconduct as 
set forth above but neither admits nor denies committing research 
misconduct. The Agreement does not constitute an admission of liability 
on Respondent's part. Respondent agrees not to appeal the jurisdiction 
of ORI or request a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 
administrative hearing to review the findings as set forth in the 
Agreement.
    As a condition of the Agreement, Respondent agrees that the Mol. 
Endocrinol. 23(12):2075-85, 2009, and Oncogene 28(5):651-61, 2009, 
publications be retracted.
    In entering into the Agreement, Dr. Wang has voluntarily agreed for 
a period of two (2) years, beginning on July 18, 2011:
    (1) To exclude himself from any contracting or subcontracting with 
any agency of the United States Government and from eligibility or 
involvement in nonprocurement programs of the United States Government 
referred to as ``covered transactions'' pursuant to HHS' Implementation 
(2 CFR part 376 et seq) of OMB Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide 
Debarment and Suspension, 2 CFR part 180 (collectively the ``Debarment 
Regulations''); and
    (2) To exclude himself 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 FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Director, Division of Investigative 
Oversight, Office of Research Integrity, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 
750, Rockville, MD 20852, (240) 453-8800.

John Dahlberg,
Director, Division of Investigative Oversight, Office of Research 
Integrity.
[FR Doc. 2011-19930 Filed 8-4-11; 8:45 am]
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