[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 101 (Tuesday, May 26, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31521-31522]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-11158]


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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 Mr. 
Logan Fulford (Respondent), who was a graduate research assistant, 
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC), and former 
graduate student, University of Cincinnati (UC). Mr. Fulford engaged in 
research misconduct in research supported by National Cancer Institute 
(NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), grant R01 CA142724 and 
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), NIH, grant R01 
HL084151. The administrative actions, including supervision for a 
period of two (2) years, were implemented beginning on May 8, 2020, and 
are detailed below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elisabeth A. Handley, Director, Office 
of Research Integrity, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 240, 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:
    Mr. Logan Fulford, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center: 
Based on the report of an investigation conducted by CCHMC and 
additional analysis conducted by ORI in its oversight review, ORI found 
that Mr. Logan Fulford, former graduate research assistant, CCHMC, and 
former graduate student, UC, engaged in research misconduct in research 
supported by NCI, NIH, grant R01 CA142724 and NHLBI, NIH, grant R01 
HL084151.
    Respondent neither admits nor denies ORI's findings of research 
misconduct; the settlement is not an admission of liability on the part 
of the Respondent. The parties entered into a Voluntary Settlement 
Agreement (Agreement) to conclude this matter without further 
expenditure of time, finances, or other resources.
    ORI found that Respondent engaged in research misconduct by 
intentionally, knowingly, and/or recklessly falsifying data that were 
included in:
     The transcription factor FOXF1 promotes prostate cancer by 
stimulating the mitogen-activated protein kinase ERK5. Science 
Signaling 2016 May;9:427 (hereafter referred to as ``Science Signaling 
2016'').
     Foxf1 Deficient Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Promote 
Prostate Cancer Progression via Paracrine Wnt11 Signaling. Unpublished 
manuscript (hereafter referred to as the ``unpublished manuscript'').
    ORI found that Respondent intentionally, knowingly, and/or 
recklessly falsified immunohistochemistry and western blot data 
included in Science Signaling 2016 and in an unpublished manuscript, by 
reusing and relabeling images to represent the expression of different 
proteins and/or different experimental conditions. Specifically:

 In Figure 2C of Science Signaling 2016, Respondent reused one 
immunohistochemistry image, to represent Cle casp-3 expression in Myc-
CaP tumors under both Control and FoxF1-OE conditions and used another 
immunohistochemistry image to represent Cle casp-3 expression in TRAMP 
tumors under both Control and FoxF1-OE conditions
 in Figure S4E of Science Signaling 2016, Respondent reused and 
relabeled western blot panels to represent the expression of multiple 
different proteins under different experimental conditions. 
Specifically:
    --Respondent used different exposures of the source blot to 
represent FOXF1 or WNK1 expression in 22RV1 tumors transfected with 
scramble RNA or shFOXF1, or pERK5 expression in C4-2B tumors 
transfected with scramble RNA or shFOXF1
    --Respondent used different exposures and size scaling of the 
source blot to represent MAP3K2 or pERK5 expression in 22RV1 tumors 
transfected with scramble RNA or shFOXF1 or FOXF1 or WNK1 expression in 
C4-2B tumors transfected with scramble RNA or shFOXF1, or FOXF1 or WNK1 
expression in C4-2B tumors transfected with scramble or shFOXF1
    --Respondent used background lightening/darkening and size scaling 
of the source blot to represent [beta]-ACTIN expression in 22RV1 tumors 
transfected with scramble or shFOXF1, or Total ERK5 expression in C4-2B 
tumors transfected with scramble RNA or shFOXF1
    --Respondent used size scaling and rotation of the source blot to 
represent Total ERK5 in 22RV1 tumors transfected with scramble RNA or 
shFOXF1, or [beta]-ACTIN expression in C4-2B tumors transfected with 
scramble RNA or shFOXF1
 in Figure 7C of Science Signaling 2016, Respondent reused and 
relabeled one source western blot panel to represent the expression of 
different proteins in the presence of FOXF1 overexpression. 
Specifically:
    --different exposures, size scaling, and rotation of the same blot 
were used to represent [beta]-Actin, pERK5, Total ERK, and MAP3K2 
expression in FOXF1-overexpressing Myc-CaP tumors transduced with 
scramble RNA, shMAP3K2 RNA, shWNK1, or both
 in Figure S3B of Science Signaling 2016, Respondent spliced, 
size scaled, and rotated the source western blot representing 
expression of Erk5 in TRAMP tumors and represented it as both pERK5 and 
Total ERK5 expression in TRAMP tumors under both control and FOXF1-OE 
conditions
 in Figure 3B of the unpublished manuscript, Respondent 
fabricated the data to falsely represent the upregulation of Wnt11 mRNA 
in human fibroblasts from prostate cancer samples, compared to those 
from normal patient samples
 in Figures 3F and S8 of the unpublished manuscript, Respondent 
reused and relabeled source western blot panels representing Wnt11 
expression in HeLa (cervical cancer) to represent Wnt11 expression in 
MDA-MB-231 fibroblasts (prostate cancer)

As a result of the investigation, Science Signaling 2016 was retracted 
in: Science Signaling 2018 Jul;11:541.
    Mr. Fulford entered into an Agreement and agreed to the following:
    (1) Respondent agreed to have his research supervised for a period 
of two (2) years beginning on May 8, 2020. Respondent agreed that prior 
to the submission of an application for U.S. Public Health Service 
(PHS) support for a 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

[[Page 31522]]

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) 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 two (2) years from the effective date of the Agreement. 
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 and Respondent's 
compliance with appropriate research standards and confirming the 
integrity of Respondent's research.
    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) If no supervisory plan is provided to ORI, Respondent agreed to 
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.
    (4) Respondent agreed 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 two (2) years, beginning on May 8, 
2020.

    Dated: May 19, 2020.
Elisabeth A. Handley,
Director, Office of Research Integrity, Office of the Assistant 
Secretary for Health.
[FR Doc. 2020-11158 Filed 5-22-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-31-P