[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 248 (Monday, December 28, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 84354-84355]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-28566]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary


Findings of Research Misconduct

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Findings of research misconduct have been made against Yihong 
Wan, Ph.D. (Respondent), Associate Professor, Department of 
Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSMC). 
Respondent engaged in research misconduct in research supported by U.S. 
Public Health Service (PHS) funds, specifically National Institute of 
Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney (NIDDK), National Institutes of 
Health (NIH), grant R01 DK089113. The administrative actions, including 
supervision for a period of three (3) years, were implemented beginning 
on December 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:
    Yihong Wan, Ph.D., University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center: 
Based on the report of an investigation conducted by UTSMC and 
additional analysis conducted by ORI in its oversight review, ORI found 
that Respondent, Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology, 
UTSMC, engaged in research misconduct in research supported by PHS 
funds, specifically NIDDK, NIH, grant R01 DK089113.
    ORI found that Respondent engaged in research misconduct by 
intentionally, knowingly, and/or recklessly falsifying and/or 
fabricating bone histomorphometry data by altering or creating Excel 
data table values for additional bone samples that did not exist or 
were not analyzed and by falsely stating means and standard deviations 
calculated from experiments with N values
    (i.e., number of mouse samples) that were larger than the actual N 
values in the following published paper:
     miR-34a blocks osteoporosis and bone metastasis by 
inhibiting osteoclastogenesis and Tgif2. Nature 2014;512(7515):431-5 
(hereafter referred to as ``Nature 2014''). Retraction in: Nature 2020 
Jun;582(7810):134.
    Specifically, ORI found that Respondent knowingly, intentionally, 
and/or recklessly falsified and/or fabricated bone histomorphometry 
data in eight (8) extended figures of one (1) published paper by 
manually falsifying and/or fabricating data values within multiple 
Excel spreadsheets and by creating increased N values without testing 
additional samples. Specifically:
     In Extended Figure 1i of Nature 2014, Respondent 
fabricated female vertebrae histomorphometry data by multiplying 
fourteen (14) different numerical values representing male mouse 
vertebrae data by a factor of 0.95 to create female vertebrae values in 
one (1) Excel spreadsheet
     in Extended Figures 1i, 2d, 3d, 3h, 4h, 6a, 6e, and 9g of 
Nature 2014, Respondent falsified histomorphometry data for ninety-nine 
(99) data table values from two (2) Excel spreadsheets representing 
bone parameters for male distal femur, male vertebrae, female distal 
femur, and female vertebrae samples
     in Extended Figure 4h of Nature 2014, respondent 
fabricated bone histomorphometry data by reporting that the means and 
standard deviations were calculated from experiments with a value of 
six (6) to eight (8) mice per experimental condition, when respondent 
calculated the means and standard deviations from only three (3) mice 
(N = 3)
    Dr. Wan entered into a Voluntary Settlement Agreement (Agreement) 
and agreed to the following:
    (1) Respondent agreed to have her research supervised for a period 
of three (3) years beginning on December 8, 2020. Respondent agreed 
that prior to the submission of an application for 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 she 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 a period of three (3) 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

[[Page 84355]]

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 are 
supported by the research record.
    (3) Respondent agreed that for a period of three (3) years 
beginning on December 8, 2020, any institution employing her shall 
submit, in conjunction with each application of 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) If no supervisory plan is provided to ORI, Respondent agreed to 
provide certification to ORI at the conclusion of the supervision 
period that she has not engaged in, applied for, or had her name 
included on any application, proposal, or other request for PHS funds 
without prior notification to ORI.
    (5) Respondent agreed to exclude herself 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 three (3) years, beginning on December 
8, 2020.

    Dated: December 21, 2020.
Elisabeth A. Handley,
Director, Office of Research Integrity, Office of the Assistant 
Secretary for Health.
[FR Doc. 2020-28566 Filed 12-23-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-31-P