[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 148 (Thursday, August 3, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36150-36151]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-16311]


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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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    Notice is hereby given that the Office of Research Integrity (ORI) 
has taken final action in the following case:
    Nasser Chegini, Ph.D., University of Florida: Based on the report 
of an investigation conducted by the University of Florida (UF), the 
prior

[[Page 36151]]

corrections in the scientific record noted below, and additional 
analysis conducted by ORI in its oversight review, ORI found that Dr. 
Nasser Chegini, retired as a Professor in the Department of Obstetrics 
and Gynecology, UF, engaged in research misconduct in research 
supported by National Institute of Child Health and Human Development 
(NICHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), grant 2 R01 HD037432.
    ORI acknowledges that the following papers were retracted as a 
result of the institution's investigation:

1. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 88(10):4967-4976, 2003. Retraction in: J 
Clin Endocrinol Metab 100(1):318, 2015 Jan.
2. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 1:125, 2003. Retraction in: Reprod Biol 
Endocrinol 13:25, 2015 Apr 3.
3. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 88(3):1350-1361, 2003. Retraction in: J 
Clin Endocrinol Metab 100(1):318, 2015 Jan.
4. Hum Reprod 21(10):2555-2563, 2006. Retraction in: Hum Reprod 
30(1):249, 2015 Jan (Epub 2014 Nov 6).
5. Mol Hum Reprod 12(4):245-256, 2006. Retraction in: Mol Hum Reprod 
20(12):1258, 2014 Dec (Epub 2014 Nov 13).
6. Mol Hum Reprod 13(11):797-806, 2007. Retraction in: Mol Hum 
Reprod 20(12):1259, 2014 Dec (Epub 2014 Nov 13).
7. Reprod Sci 15(10):993-1001, 2007. Retraction in: Reprod Sci 
21(10):1326, 2014 Oct.
8. J Cell Mol Med 12(1):227-240, 2008. Retraction in: J Cell Mol Med 
19(10):2512, 2015 Oct.

    ORI found that Respondent engaged in research misconduct by 
intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly falsifying data that were 
included in: J Reprod Immunol 73(2):118-29, 2007 (hereafter referred to 
as ``JRI 2007''). Specifically, ORI found that Respondent falsified 
data points and standard errors of the mean in bar graphs plotting 
matrix metalloprotease expression or activity in the following figures 
of JRI 2007:

 Figures 2A, 2B, 2C
 Figures 3A, 3B, 3C
 Figure 4B
 Figure 5C
 Figure 6B
 Figures 7A, 7B, 7C
 Figure 8, middle left panel and lower right panel

    Dr. Chegini entered into a Voluntary Settlement Agreement with ORI, 
in which he voluntarily agreed to the following, beginning on July 12, 
2017:
    (1) Respondent has not applied for or engaged in U.S. Public Health 
Service (PHS)-supported research since 2012; Respondent has no 
intention of applying for or engaging in PHS-supported research or 
otherwise working with PHS; however, if within five (5) years of the 
effective date of the Agreement, the Respondent receives or applies for 
PHS support, the Respondent agreed to have his research supervised for 
a period of five (5) years from the date of his employment in a 
position in which he receives or applies for PHS support and agreed to 
notify his employer(s)/institution(s) of the terms of this supervision; 
Respondent agreed 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 contribution; Respondent 
agreed that he shall not participate 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;
    (2) Respondent agreed that for a period of five (5) years beginning 
on the date on which the Respondent receives or applies for PHS 
support, 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;
    (3) 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 a period of five (5) years, beginning with the effective 
date of the Agreement; and
    (4) as a condition of the Agreement, Respondent will request that J 
Reprod Immunol 73(2):118-29, 2007 be retracted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Director, Office of Research 
Integrity, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 750, Rockville, MD 20852, (240) 
453-8200.

Kathryn M. Partin,
Director, Office of Research Integrity.
[FR Doc. 2017-16311 Filed 8-2-17; 8:45 am]
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