[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 226 (Friday, November 24, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67870-67871]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-19888]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary


Findings of Misconduct in Science

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HHS.

[[Page 67871]]


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:
    Clifford R. Robinson, Ph.D., University of Delaware: Based on the 
reports of investigations conducted by 3-Dimensional Pharmaceuticals, 
Inc. (3DP) and the University of Delaware (UD) and additional analysis 
conducted by ORI during its oversight review, the U.S. Public Health 
Service (PHS) found that Clifford R. Robinson, Ph.D., Assistant 
Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UD, engaged in 
misconduct in science involving research supported by National 
Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), National Institutes of 
Health (NIH), grants 1 R43 GM58950-01 and 2 R44 GM58950-02, ``Four-
helix bundle analog of a G-protein coupled receptor (C. Robinson, 
Principal Investigator [P.I.]). The following grant applications also 
were involved in Dr. Robinson's misconduct in science:
    1 R43 GM62708-01, ``Improved method for protein refolding'' (C.R. 
Robinson, P.I.), submitted March 30, 2000; approved but not funded, 
withdrawn.
    1 P20 RR017716-01, ``Design of hierarchical recognition motifs,'' 
Project V, ``Determinants of stability and assembly of integral 
membrane proteins'' (C.R. Robinson, Project Investigator), submitted 
March 1, 2002, funded September 16, 2002, to August 30, 2007.
    1 R01 GM074789-01, ``Folding and stability of integral membrane 
proteins'' (C.R. Robinson, P.I.), submitted October 1, 2004; scored not 
competitive, not funded.
    1 R01 GM075891-01, ``Membrane protein expression, solubilization, 
and refolding'' (C.R. Robinson, P.I.), submitted January 24, 2005; 
approved but not funded, pending.
    1 R21 GM07953-01, ``Mini-receptor analogs of GPCRs'' (C.R. 
Robinson, P.I.), submitted January 25, 2005; not funded.
    Specifically, PHS found that Dr. Robinson engaged in the following 
acts of misconduct in science. With regard to the following paragraphs 
numbered 1-6, nothing herein shall be deemed as an admission of 
liability on the part of Dr. Robinson.
    1. While at 3DP, Dr. Robinson systematically substituted 
crystallized chicken ovalbumin in place of [beta]2-AR-NQ and 
repeatedly provided these crystalline preparations to other scientists 
to conduct molecular analyses. Dr. Robinson made false claims about his 
progress on characterizing [beta]2-AR-NQ and falsely claimed 
to have supplied purified [beta]2-AR-NQ to 3DP staff in 
project team meetings (PTM) held on at least five occasions between 
July 14, 1998, and July 7, 1999.
    2. Dr. Robinson made multiple false claims about his research on 
[beta]2-AR-NQ in NIH grant applications R44 GM58950-02, 
submitted April 1, 1999, supplemental material for the same application 
submitted on July 7, 1999, and NIH grant application R43 GM62708-01, 
submitted March 30, 2000.
    3. Dr. Robinson made similar claims as in item 1 above concerning 
the wild type form of [beta]2-AR, by substituting canine 
ovalbumin. Dr. Robinson's false claims were made to 3DP staff at PTM 
meetings on at least three occasions between September 7, 1999, and 
March 30, 2000, and in NIH grant application R43 GM62708-01, and after 
moving to UD, in NIH grant application 1 P20 RR017716-01, submitted on 
March 1, 2002.
    4. Dr. Robinson was unable to adequately produce recombinant 
[beta]2-AR in E. coli and made false claims at PTM meetings 
in September and October 1999 that he had successfully expressed active 
protein and had purified it for crystallization trials. Dr. Robinson 
also made false claims in NIH grant applications R43 GM62708-01 and 1 
R01 GM07589-01, submitted January 24, 2005, that he had purified large 
amounts of [beta]2-AR-NQ from E. coli and that he had 
reconstituted the protein into its native biologically active form.
    5. Dr. Robinson made false claims about his ability to produce, 
purify, and characterize a recombinant fragment of [beta]2-
AR-NQ containing four transmembrane domains ([beta]2-AR-4HB) 
at PTM meetings in October 1998 and in NIH grant applications R44 
GM58950-02 and 1 P20 RR017716-01.
    6. Dr. Robinson falsified fluorescence spectra and circular 
dichroism measurements in Figure 7 (both left and right panels) of NIH 
grant application R44 GM58950-02 by substituting results obtained with 
different proteins.
    7. After moving to UD, Dr. Robinson made false claims in NIH grant 
application 1 P20 RR017716-01, including presenting falsified data in 
both panels of Figures V.5 (fluorescence spectra and circular dichroism 
measurements) and V.9 (falsified experimental conditions).
    8. While at UD, Dr. Robinson falsified circular dichroism and 
fluorescence data in NIH grant application 1 R01 GM074789-01 (Figures 
5A, 5B, and 6) and circular dichroism data in NIH grant applications 1 
R01 GM075891-01 (Figure 6) and 1 R21 GM075953-01 (Figure 5).
    9. In presentations at the Biophysical Society annual meeting and a 
Cornell University Consortium meeting, both in 1999, Dr. Robinson 
falsely represented data obtained with cytochrome b562 as being 
obtained with [beta]2-AR.
    Dr. Robinson has entered into a Voluntary Exclusion Agreement in 
which he has voluntarily agreed, for a period of five (5) years, 
beginning on October 23, 2006:
    (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 programs of the United States Government 
as defined in the debarment regulations at 45 CFR Part 76; 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.

Chris B. Pascal,
Director, Office of Research Integrity.
[FR Doc. E6-19888 Filed 11-22-06; 8:45 am]
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