[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 104 (Tuesday, May 31, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34357-34358]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-12800]
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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:
Ricky Malhotra, Ph.D., University of Michigan and University of
Chicago: Based on the Respondent's admission to committing research
misconduct at the University of Michigan (UM) and subsequently at the
University of Chicago (UC), the reports of separate investigations
conducted by UM and UC, and additional analysis conducted by ORI in its
oversight review, ORI found that Dr. Ricky Malhotra, former Research
Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, UM, from 2005-
2006, and Research Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, UC, from
2007-2011, engaged in research misconduct in research supported by
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes
of Health (NIH), grants K08 HL081472 and R01 HL107949.
ORI found that falsified and/or fabricated data were included in
the following three (3) NIH grant applications, one (1) NIH grant
progress report, one (1) publication, seven (7) presentations, and one
(1) image file:
R03 AG029508-01
R21 AG030361-01
R01 HL102405-01
K08 HL081472-05 Progress Report
J Biol Chem. 285(18):13748-60, 2010 Apr 30 (hereafter referred
to as ``JBC 2010'')
Presentation: Autophagy Pathway.ppt, MKK4 expression after
UV.ppt, Oct PPt.ppt, RicDec.ppt, Ricky Presentation 06.ppt, Ricky
STC.ppt, and RM.ppt
Image file: Final LC 3.jpg
ORI found that Respondent reused and falsely relabeled Western blot
gel images, falsified the related densitometry measurements based on
the falsified Western blots, and falsified and/or fabricated data for
experiments that were not performed. Respondent continued this
falsification at UC, after the UM research misconduct investigation was
completed. Specifically:
While at UM, Respondent falsified and/or fabricated images
in R03 AG029508-01 and three (3) presentations, where:
[ssquf] R03 AG029508-01, Figure 2, represented Western blots for
phosphorylated p53 (Ser15) and [beta]-actin expression in normal and
Snell dwarf mice fibroblasts (mN/SF) treated with the DNA alkylating
agent methyl methanesulfonate (MMS), when the same images were
duplicated to represent different proteins and treatments in the
presentations Autophagy Pathway.ppt and RM.ppt.
[ssquf] R03 AG029508-01, Figure 3, represented Western blots for
p16\Ink4a\ and [beta]-actin expression in mN/SF, when the same images
were duplicated to represent different proteins and treatments in the
presentations Autophagy Pathways.ppt, RicDec.ppt, and RM.ppt.
While at UM, Respondent fabricated data in R21 AG030361-01
and supporting data for the grant application in the research record,
where:
[ssquf] R21 AG030361-01, Figure 2, represented a Western blot for
phosphorylated c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) expression in mN/SF
exposed to cadmium, when the experiment was not performed.
[ssquf] The research record contained ninety (90) Western blot
images and ninety (90) densitometry measurement files for 45
experiments that examined phosphorylated JNK or Mitogen-activated
protein kinase 4 (MMK4) expression in mN/SF exposed to UV light,
H2O2, cadmium, or anisomycin, when the
experiments were not performed.
[ssquf] The research record contained densitometric analyses for an
additional twenty-eight (28) experiments that examined phosphorylated
JNK or MMK4 expression in mN/SF exposed to UV light,
H2O2, cadmium, or anisomycin, when the
quantifications were based on experiments that were not performed.
While at UM, Respondent falsified and/or fabricated
Western blots for phosphorylated and total Rac1/cdc42 expression in mN/
SF, total JNK expression in mN/SF treated with anisomycin,
phosphorylated JNK expression in Snell dwarf mice fibroblasts treated
with cadmium, [beta]-actin expression in mN/SF, [beta]-actin expression
in Snell dwarf mice fibroblasts treated with or without MMS, [beta]-
actin expression in normal mice fibroblasts treated with cadmium, and
[beta]-actin expression in mN/SF treated with
H2O2 in the presentations Autophagy Pathway.ppt,
Oct PPt.ppt, RicDec.ppt, Ricky Presentation 06.ppt, Ricky STC.ppt, and
RM.ppt, and the image file Final LC 3.jpg, when the images were
duplicated and falsely relabeled Western blots of unrelated
experiments.
While at UM, Respondent falsified twenty-four (24) Western
blots for phosphorylated JNK or MMK4 expression in mN/SF exposed to UV
light, H2O2, cadmium, or anisomycin in the seven
(7) presentations and twenty-six (26) data files in the research
record, when the images were duplicated and falsely relabeled Western
blots of unrelated experiments.
While at UC, Respondent falsified and/or fabricated
Western blots by using images from unrelated experiments and the
related densitometric analyses that were based on falsified Western
blots in the following:
[ssquf] R01 HL102405-01 for:
--Figure 1A for phosphorylated Rhodopsin (Rho) expression in neonatal
rat ventricular cardiac myocytes (NRVCM) subjected to stimulation with
Angiotension II (Ang II)
[[Page 34358]]
--Figure 1A for G protein-coupled receptor kinase-2 (GRK2) expression
in NRVCM subjected to cyclical mechanical stretch
--Figure 1B for densitometric analysis of GRK2 activity
--Figure 2A for phosphorylated Rho and GRK2 expression in NRVCM
subjected to mechanical stretch
--Figure 2B for densitometric analysis of GRK2 activity
--Figure 3A for phosphorylated Rho expression in NRVCM after mechanical
stretch and treatment with protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor
chelerythrine (lanes 5 and 6)
--Figure 3B for densitometric analyses of GRK2 activity after PKC
inhibition via chelerythrine treatment
[ssquf] K08 HL081472-05 Progress Report for:
--Figure 1A for phosphorylated Rho and GRK2 expression in NRVCM
subjected to mechanical stretch
--Figure 1B for densitometric analyses of GRK2 activity after PKC
inhibition via chelerythrine treatment
[ssquf] JBC 2010 for:
--Figure 1B for phosphorylated Rho expression in NTVCM subjected to
stimulation with Ang II
--Figure 1B for GRK2 expression in NRVCM subjected to cyclical
mechanical stretch panel
--Figure 1C for densitometric analysis of GRK2 activity
--Figure 2A for phosphorylated Rho expression in NRVCM after mechanical
stretch and treatment with the Ang II type 1 (AT1) receptor
antagonist Irbesartan (lanes 5 and 6)
--Figure 2B for densitometric analyses of GRK2 activity after PKC
inhibition via Irbesartan treatment
--Figure 4C for phosphorylated Rho and GRK2 expression in NRVCM
subjected to mechanical stretch
--Figure 4D for densitometric analysis of GRK2 activity after RNAi
treatment
Dr. Malhotra has entered into a Voluntary Settlement Agreement with
ORI, in which he voluntarily agreed to the administrative actions set
forth below:
(1) Respondent agreed that he had no intention in applying for or
engaging in U.S. Public Health Service (PHS)-supported research or
otherwise working with PHS. However, if within five (5) years of the
effective date of the Agreement (May 6, 2016), Respondent receives or
applies for PHS support, Respondent agreed to have his research
supervised for a period of ten (10) years beginning on the date of his
employment in a position in which he receives or applies for PHS
support and to notify his employer/institution(s) of the terms of this
supervision.
(2) Respondent certified that he is not currently engaged in or
receiving PHS support. Respondent agreed 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 the Respondent's
participation in any capacity on PHS-supported research, Respondent
shall ensure that a plan for supervision of Respondent's duties is
submitted to ORI for approval. The supervision plan must be designed to
ensure the scientific integrity of Respondent's research contribution
as outlined below. Respondent agreed that he shall not participate in
any PHS-supported research until such a supervision plan is submitted
to and approved by ORI. Respondent agreed to maintain responsibility
for compliance with the agreed upon supervision plan.
(3) The requirements for Respondent's supervision plan are as
follows:
i. A committee of senior faculty members and officials at the
institution who are familiar with Respondent's field of research, but
not including Respondent's supervisor or collaborators, will provide
oversight and guidance for ten (10) years. The committee will review
primary data for Respondent's PHS-supported research on a quarterly
basis setting forth the committee meeting dates, Respondent's
compliance with appropriate research standards, and confirming the
integrity of Respondent's research.
ii. The committee will conduct an advance review of any PHS grant
application (including supplements, resubmissions, etc.), manuscripts
reporting PHS-funded research submitted for publication, and abstracts.
The review will include a discussion with Respondent of the primary
data represented in those documents and will include a certification
that the data presented in the proposed application/publication is
supported by the research record.
(4) If within five (5) years from the effective date of the
Agreement, Respondent receives or applies for PHS support, Respondent
agreed that for a period of ten (10) years beginning on the date of his
employment that any institution employing him 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 report and certification to ORI at six (6) month intervals
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.
(5) If no supervisory plan is provided to ORI, Respondent agreed to
provide certification to ORI on a quarterly basis for a period of five
(5) years, beginning on May 6, 2016, that he has not engaged in,
applied for, or had his name included on any application, proposal, or
other request for PHS funds made available through grants, subgrants,
cooperative agreements, contracts, subcontracts, supplements, awards,
fellowships, projects, programs, small business technology transfer
(STTR) and small business innovation research (SBIR) programs,
conferences, meetings, centers, resources, studies, and trials, without
prior notification to ORI.
(6) Respondent agreed to exclude himself 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 five (5) years, beginning on May 6,
2016.
(7) As a condition of the Agreement, Respondent agreed to the
retraction of JBC 2010.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Director, Office of Research
Integrity, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 750, Rockville, MD 20852, (240)
453-8200.
Kathryn M. Partin,
Director, Office of Research Integrity.
[FR Doc. 2016-12800 Filed 5-27-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-31-P