[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 198 (Thursday, October 13, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63621-63622]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-26453]


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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:
    Nicola Solomon, Ph.D., University of Michigan Medical School: Based 
on an investigation conducted by the University of Michigan Medical 
School (UMMS) and a preliminary analysis conducted by ORI, ORI found 
that Dr. Nicola Solomon, former postdoctoral scholar, Department of 
Human Genetics, UMMS, engaged in research misconduct in research 
supported by the National Institute of Child Health and Human 
Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), grants R37 
HD030428 and R01 HD034283.
    Specifically, the Respondent did not perform DNA sequencing on 202 
cDNA clones of homeobox genes to confirm their identity and integrity. 
Through multiple revision of the manuscript, the Respondent did not 
discuss this with the corresponding author or question and correct the 
corresponding author's addition of text indicating that the clones had 
been fully sequenced and were full length or longer (as indicated in 
Table 3) when compared to NCBI Mus musculus Unigene. This text 
supported the use of the Cap-Trapper

[[Page 63622]]

technique to produce full length clones for the discovery of new genes 
without polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
    Both the Respondent and the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) are 
desirous of concluding this matter without further expenditure of time 
and other resources and have entered into a Voluntary Settlement 
Agreement to resolve this matter. This settlement is not an admission 
of liability on the part of the Respondent.
    Respondent and ORI agreed to settle this matter as follows:
    (1) Respondent agreed that for a period of two (2) years beginning 
on September 16, 2011, prior to the submission of an application for 
PHS support for a research project on which her participation is 
proposed in a research capacity, and prior to her participation in this 
capacity on PHS-supported research, Respondent shall ensure that a plan 
for supervising her duties is submitted to ORI for approval; the 
supervision must be designed to ensure the scientific integrity of 
Respondent's research contribution; Respondent agreed that she shall 
not participate as a researcher 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; and
    (2) Respondent agreed to exclude herself 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 two (2) years, beginning on September 16, 
2011.

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. 2011-26453 Filed 10-12-11; 8:45 am]
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