[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 165 (Monday, August 26, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44627-44628]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-18305]


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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: Findings of research misconduct have been made against Dr. 
Rahul Agrawal (Respondent), former visiting fellow at the Center for 
Cancer Research, Laboratory of Pathology, Cancer Molecular Pathology 
Section, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health 
(NIH). Dr. Agrawal engaged in research misconduct in research supported 
by the Intramural Research Program of NCI, NIH. The administrative 
actions, including supervision for a period of one (1) year, were 
implemented beginning on August 8, 2019, and are detailed below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wanda K. Jones, Dr.P.H., Acting 
Director, Deputy Director, Office of Research Integrity, 1101 Wootton 
Parkway, Suite 750, Rockville, MD 20852, (240) 453-8200.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is hereby given that the Office of 
Research Integrity (ORI) has taken final action in the following case:
    Dr. Rahul Agrawal, National Institutes of Health: Based on 
Respondent's admission, an assessment conducted by NIH, and additional 
analysis conducted by ORI in its oversight review, ORI found that Dr. 
Rahul Agrawal, former visiting fellow at the Center for Cancer 
Research, Laboratory of Pathology, Cancer Molecular Pathology Section,

[[Page 44628]]

NCI, NIH, engaged in research misconduct in research supported by the 
Intramural Research Program of NCI, NIH.
    ORI found that Respondent engaged in research misconduct by 
intentionally, knowingly, and/or recklessly falsifying and/or 
fabricating data in the unpublished research record by the alteration, 
reuse, and/or relabeling of quantitative real-time polymerase chain 
reaction (qRT-PCR) data and colony forming cell (CFC) and focus 
formation (FF) assay images to represent experiments that measured 
microRNA expression levels and the effect of long intergenic non-
protein coding (LINC) RNAs in human cancer cell lines that were not 
conducted.
    Specifically, ORI found that Respondent knowingly, intentionally, 
and/or recklessly falsified and/or fabricated:

 qRT-PCR data in fifty-nine (59) Excel files by:

--Conceiving Cycle Threshold (CT) values and PCR machine run 
identification numbers and run dates for fifty-nine (59) experiments 
that were not conducted
--inserting falsified and/or fabricated CT values in fifty-four (54) 
files that originated from one (1) Excel template with a single file 
creation date to represent distinct experimental runs with different 
experimental dates in exported Excel files from the PCR machine
--utilizing an earlier PCR machine calibration date in four (4) Excel 
files to represent experiments completed at a later date

     CFC and FF assay images in four (4) PowerPoint files by:

--Representing eight (8) images of CFC and FF assays in cell culture 
plates as the overexpression of LINC00379 or LINC00380 in human 
alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma RD and Rh41 cells when the cultured cells did 
not overexpress the specific LINC RNA

    Dr. Agrawal entered into a Voluntary Settlement Agreement 
(Agreement) and voluntarily agreed:
    (1) To have his research supervised for a period of one (1) year 
beginning on August 8, 2019; Respondent agreed that prior to the 
submission of an application for U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) 
support for a research project on which 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) that the requirements for Respondent's supervision plan are as 
follows:
    i. A committee of 2-3 senior faculty members at the institution who 
are familiar with Respondent's field of research, but not including 
Respondent's supervisor or collaborators, will provide oversight and 
guidance for one (1) year beginning on August 8, 2019; the committee 
will review primary data from Respondent's laboratory on a quarterly 
basis and submit a report to ORI at six (6) month intervals setting 
forth the committee meeting dates, Respondent's compliance with 
appropriate research standards, and confirming the integrity of 
Respondent's research; and
    ii. the committee will conduct an advance review of any PHS grant 
applications (including supplements, resubmissions, etc.), manuscripts 
reporting PHS-funded research submitted for publication, and abstracts; 
the review will include a discussion with Respondent of the primary 
data represented in those documents and will include a certification to 
ORI that the data presented in the proposed application/publication is 
supported by the research record;
    (3) that for a period of one (1) year beginning on August 8, 2019, 
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;
    (4) that if no supervisory plan is provided to ORI, Respondent 
shall provide certification to ORI at the conclusion of the supervision 
period that he has not engaged in, applied for, or had his name 
included on any application, proposal, or other request for PHS funds 
without prior notification to ORI; and
    (5) to exclude himself 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 
one (1) year beginning on August 8, 2019.

Wanda K. Jones,
Acting Director, Deputy Director, Office of Research Integrity.
[FR Doc. 2019-18305 Filed 8-23-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-31-P