[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 146 (Wednesday, July 30, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44171-44172]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-17889]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


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:
    Zhihua Zou, Ph.D., Harvard Medical School and Fred Hutchinson 
Cancer Research Center: Based on the reports of investigations 
conducted by Harvard Medical School (HMS) and Fred Hutchinson Cancer 
Research Center (FHCRC) and additional analysis conducted by ORI in its 
oversight review, ORI found that Dr. Zhihua Zou, former Postdoctoral 
Fellow, Department of Neurobiology, HMS, and former Staff Scientist, 
Division of Basic Sciences, FHCRC, engaged in research misconduct in 
research supported by National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial 
Research (NIDCR), National Institutes of Health (NIH), grants R01 
DC001622 and R01 DC004842.
    ORI found that Respondent engaged in research misconduct by 
falsifying data that were included in two (2) publications:

1. Zou, Z., Horowitz, L.F., Montmayeur, J.P., Snapper, S., & Buck, L.B. 
``Genetic tracing reveals a stereotyped sensory map in the olfactory 
cortex.'' Nature 414:173-179, 2001 (hereafter referred to as ``Nature 
2001'').
2. Zou, Z., Li, F., & Buck, L.B. ``Odor maps in the olfactory cortex.'' 
Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 102:7724-7729, 2005 (hereafter referred to as 
``PNAS 2005'').

    As a result of the investigations, both publications have been 
retracted.
    Specifically, ORI finds that Respondent:
     Falsified Figures 2k, 2l, 3a, 3f, 3h, and 3i in Nature 
2001 and Figure 5C(b) in PNAS 2005 by manipulating the images to alter 
the number and location of positively stained cells in the olfactory 
bulb and olfactory cortex of mice.
    Dr. Zou has entered into a Voluntary Settlement Agreement 
(Agreement) and has voluntarily agreed for a period of

[[Page 44172]]

three (3) years, beginning on July 9, 2014:
    (1) That the administrative actions delineated in (2)-(4) below 
will be required for three (3) years after the effective date of the 
Agreement, beginning on the date of Respondent's employment in a 
research position in which he receives or applies for U.S. Public 
Health Service (PHS) support; however, if within three (3) years of the 
effective date of the Agreement, Respondent has not obtained employment 
in a research position in which he receives or applies for PHS support, 
the administrative actions in (2)-(4) will no longer apply;
    (2) to have any PHS-supported research supervised; Respondent 
agrees 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 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; Respondent agrees that he shall not 
participate in any PHS-supported research until such a supervision plan 
is submitted to and approved by ORI; Respondent agrees to maintain 
responsibility for compliance with the agreed upon supervision plan;
    (3) 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 
certification to ORI 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; and
    (4) 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 FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Acting Director, Office of Research 
Integrity, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 750, Rockville, MD 20852, (240) 
453-8800.

Donald Wright,
Acting Director, Office of Research Integrity.
[FR Doc. 2014-17889 Filed 7-29-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-31-P