[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 96 (Friday, May 17, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 35114]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-12361]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary


Findings of Scientific 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) and the Assistant Secretary for Health have taken final action in 
the following case:
    Aaron J. Morrow, B.S., Saint Louis University: Based on Mr. 
Morrow's admission, the report of an investigation conducted by Saint 
Louis University (SLU), and additional analysis conducted by ORI in its 
oversight review, the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) found that Aaron 
J. Morrow, graduate student, SLU Graduate School, engaged in scientific 
misconduct by falsifying and fabricating data in research supported by 
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), National 
Institutes of Health (NIH), grant 5 R01 GM54428-04, ``Elucidation of 
the mechanisms of in vitro Golgi transport.''
    Specifically PHS found that Mr. Morrow falsified data relating to 
the study of the mechanisms of protein transport using in vitro 
preparations. From October 1999 through January 2001, he falsified and 
fabricated data in his research notebook and produced false films and 
graphs of purported experiments to produce data for his thesis and 
misrepresent his progress.
    Mr. Morrow reported the falsified and fabricated data in: (1) 
Laboratory group meetings; (2) a poster presentation at the American 
Society for Cell Biology meeting held in December 2000, and (3) a draft 
manuscript that he was preparing. Mr. Morrow also provided falsified 
data to his mentor, who unknowingly included it in a draft of NIGMS, 
NIH, application 2 R01 GM54428-05A2, ``Elucidation of the mechanisms of 
in vitro Golgi transport.'' Given the extensive nature of Mr. Morrow's 
data falsification and fabrication, none of his research after July 
2000 can be considered reliable. His actions adversely and materially 
affected the laboratory's ongoing research in protein transport 
mechanisms by creating uncertainty about all his experimental results, 
necessitating verification and repetition of experiments, preventing 
the reporting of results for publication, and preventing the principal 
investigator from submitting a competitive renewal application for a 
NIH grant.
    Mr. Morrow has entered into a Voluntary Exclusion Agreement in 
which he has voluntarily agreed for a period of three (3) years:
    (1) To exclude himself from any contracting or subcontracting with 
any agency of the United States Government and from eligibility for, or 
involvement in, nonprocurement transactions (e.g., grants and 
cooperative agreements) of the United States Government as defined in 
45 CFR part 76 (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, 5515 Security Lane, Suite 700, 
Rockville, MD 20852. (301) 443-5330.

Chris B. Pascal,
Director, Office of Research Integrity.
[FR Doc. 02-12361 Filed 5-16-02; 8:45 am]
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