[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 66 (Tuesday, April 7, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18638-18639]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-07897]


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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:
    Ryousuke Fujita, Ph.D., Columbia University: Based on the report of 
an investigation conducted by Columbia University (CU) and additional 
analysis conducted by ORI in its oversight review, ORI found that Dr. 
Ryousuke Fujita, former Postdoctoral Scientist, Taub Institute for the 
Aging Brain, Departments of Pathology and Cell Biology and Neurology, 
CU Medical Center, engaged in research misconduct in research supported 
by National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), 
National Institutes of Health (NIH), grant R01 NS064433 and National 
Institute of Aging (NIA), NIH, grant R01 AG042317.
    ORI found that Respondent engaged in research misconduct by 
falsifying and fabricating data for specific protein expressions in 
human-induced neuronal (hiN) cells derived skin fibroblasts of 
Alzheimer's disease patients and unaffected individuals in seventy-four 
(74) panels included in figures in the following two (2) publications 
and one (1) unpublished manuscript:
     Cell 146:359-371, 2011 (hereafter referred to as ``Cell 
2011'').
     Nature 500:45-53, 2013 (hereafter referred to as ``Nature 
2013'').
     ``Human induced neuron models of APOE4-associated 
Alzheimer's disease display altered APP endocytosis and processing.'' 
Unpublished manuscript.
    ORI found that Respondent engaged in research misconduct by 
knowingly and intentionally fabricating and falsifying research in 
seventy-four (74)

[[Page 18639]]

panels included in figures in Cell 2011, Nature 2013, and the 
unpublished manuscript. Respondent inflated sample numbers and data, 
fabricated numbers for data sets, manipulated enzyme-linked 
immunosorbent assay (ELISA) analysis, mislabelled immunoflourescent 
confocal images, and manipulated and reused Western blot images.

Specifically, the Respondent

 Fabricated numbers for the data presented as a bar graph in 
nine (9) panels in Figures S6#, S6H, and S6J in Cell 2011, Figures 3B 
and S12 in Nature 2013, and Figures 2F, 4B, 4D, and 4F in the 
unpublished manuscript
Falsely inflated the sample size of quantitative data presented as bar 
graphs in fifty-three (53) panels in Figures 6B, 7I, and S6J in Cell 
2011, Figures 3G, 3H, 4C, S10, S11b-h, S12d-f, S13a, S13c, S14b-c, 
S15b-i, and S16a-f in Nature 2013, and Figures 4b, 4d, 4f, 4i, 6c-d, 
S1n, S1o, S2a-b, and S4c-k in the unpublished manuscript
Falsely manipulated ELISA analysis to achieve desired results presented 
as bar graphs in nine (9) figure-panels in Figure 6B in Cell 2011 and 
Figures 2D, 2E, 3G, 3H, and S10a-d in Nature 2013
Falsely inflated the numerical values of the data in Figure 7I in Cell 
2011 by a factor of 10 to improve results and appear consistent with 
data presented in supplementary information published with the paper
Falsely reversed the labeling of immunoflourescent confocal images in 
Figures 7M and 7N in Cell 2011 and Figure S13A in Nature 2013 to obtain 
the desired results
Flipped and resized the Western blot image for APP panel from Figure 
12b and falsely reused it to represent APP results under completely 
different experimental conditions in Figure 12c in Nature 2013

    Dr. Fujita has entered into a Voluntary Exclusion Agreement 
(Agreement) and has voluntarily agreed for a period of three (3) years, 
beginning on March 18, 2015:
    (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 
referred to as ``covered transactions'' pursuant to HHS' Implementation 
(2 CFR part 376 et seq) of OMB Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide 
Debarment and Suspension, 2 CFR part 180 (collectively the ``Debarment 
Regulations''); and
    (2) to exclude himself voluntarily from serving in any advisory 
capacity to the U.S. Public Health Service (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) 
453-8200.

Donald Wright,
Acting Director, Office of Research Integrity.
[FR Doc. 2015-07897 Filed 4-6-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE CODE 4150-31-P