ORI Debars UK Investigator, Orders Supervision of Primate Researcher for Misconduct
The HHS Office of Research Integrity (ORI) debarred a former University of Kentucky (UK) cancer investigator for four years and imposed supervisory requirements on another who hails from Southwest National Primate Center. ORI announced Aug. 8 that Stuart Jarrett, described as a “former research-track assistant professor” at UK’s Markey Cancer Center and its Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, “intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly falsified and/or fabricated Western blot and histological image data related to mechanisms of melanoma protection by reusing, relabeling, and manipulating images or using blank panels to falsely report data in twenty-eight (28) figures included in four (4) [Public Health Service] PHS-supported published papers, one (1) funded PHS grant application, and two (2) unfunded PHS grant applications.” He is prohibited from participating in government-supported programs and serving as an advisor to any PHS agency for a four-year period that began July 18. Of the four papers, which appeared from 2014 to 2018, only the oldest publication has not yet been retracted. The ORI notice said HHS would “notify” the publisher “of the need for retraction” of this one, as well.
Link to Jarrett misconduct finding
Deepak Kaushal, professor and director of the Host Pathogen Interactions Program at Southwest National Primate Research Center, part of Texas Biomedical Research Institute, “intentionally, knowingly, and/or recklessly falsifying and fabricating the experimental methodology to demonstrate results obtained under different experimental conditions that were included in a published paper” since retracted, and two NIH funding applications, ORI announced Aug. 3. His work is supported by eight NIH grants, according to the agency. Kaushal signed a voluntary settlement agreement that calls for him to be supervised for one year, which began July 22. A committee of experts in his field that does not include his supervisor “will provide oversight and guidance;” review primary data from his lab “on a quarterly basis and submit a report to ORI at six (6) month intervals setting forth the committee meeting dates and Respondent’s compliance with appropriate research standards and confirming the integrity of Respondent’s research,” among other related requirements. The fact that he apparently faced no sanctions from Texas Biomed outraged some, Science reported.