[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 226 (Monday, November 27, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56042-56043]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-25549]


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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:
    Mahandranauth Chetram, Ph.D., Georgetown University and Emory 
School of Medicine: Based on the report of an investigation conducted 
by Georgetown University (GU), Respondent's admission at Emory School 
of Medicine (ESOM), and additional analysis conducted by ORI in its 
oversight review, ORI found that Dr. Mahandranauth Chetram, former 
postdoctoral fellow, Department of Oncology, GU, and former 
postdoctoral fellow, Department of Pediatrics, ESOM, engaged in 
research misconduct in research supported by National Cancer Institute 
(NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), grants R01 CA113447, R01 
CA092306, and T32 CA09686 while at GU, and National Institute of 
Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), NIH, grant R01 
DK059380 while at ESOM.
    ORI found that Respondent engaged in research misconduct at GU by 
falsifying Western blot images and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) data 
included in an unfunded grant application, R01 CA193344-01A1, and in a 
manuscript submitted to Cancer Cell (``The DNA Repair Protein, NTHL1 
Functions as an Oncoprotein by Activating the Canoncial Wnt Pathway.'' 
Submitted to Cancer Cell; hereafter referred to as the ``Cancer Cell 
manuscript''). Subsequently, after Respondent was aware of the research 
misconduct findings from GU, Respondent engaged in research misconduct 
at ESOM and falsified RT-PCR data on Excel spreadsheets in the research 
record and in a figure generated from the false data included in a 
manuscript submitted to and withdrawn from Scientific Reports 
(``Immipramine Blue Sensitively and Selectively Targets FLT3-ITD 
Positive Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells.'' Scientific Reports 7(1):4447, 
2017 June

[[Page 56043]]

30; doi:10.1038/s41598-017-04796-1. PMID: 28667329. Submitted to 
Scientific Reports [withdrawn]; hereafter referred to as the 
``Scientific Reports manuscript'').
    Specifically, ORI found:
     While at GU, Respondent falsified Western blot images and 
qPCR experiments examining mechanisms underlying the hypothesis that 
the DNA repair protein, NTHL-1, regulates wingless signaling in cancer 
cells. False Western blot images were included in Figures 6A and S7L in 
the Cancer Cell manuscript, and the same Figure 6A was included as 
Figure 8A in grant application R01 CA193344-01A1. False qPCR data were 
included in Figures 3F and 5D in the Cancer Cell manuscript and Figures 
5C (MCF7 panel) and 5E of grant application R01 CA193344-01A1.
     While at ESOM, Respondent falsified data on Excel 
spreadsheets for eight (8) RT-PCR experiments measuring the expression 
of various genes in leukemia cell lines and included false data in the 
Scientific Reports manuscript.
    Dr. Chetram entered into a Voluntary Exclusion Agreement and 
voluntarily agreed for a period of three (3) years, beginning on 
October 19, 2017:
    (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 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, 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. 2017-25549 Filed 11-24-17; 8:45 am]
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