[Federal Register: November 24, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 226)]
[Notices]
[Page 67870-67871]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24no06-64]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Office of the Secretary
Findings of Misconduct in Science
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HHS.
[[Page 67871]]
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Office of Research Integrity
(ORI) and the Assistant Secretary for Health have taken final action in
the following case:
Clifford R. Robinson, Ph.D., University of Delaware: Based on the
reports of investigations conducted by 3-Dimensional Pharmaceuticals,
Inc. (3DP) and the University of Delaware (UD) and additional analysis
conducted by ORI during its oversight review, the U.S. Public Health
Service (PHS) found that Clifford R. Robinson, Ph.D., Assistant
Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UD, engaged in
misconduct in science involving research supported by National
Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), National Institutes of
Health (NIH), grants 1 R43 GM58950-01 and 2 R44 GM58950-02, ``Four-
helix bundle analog of a G-protein coupled receptor (C. Robinson,
Principal Investigator [P.I.]). The following grant applications also
were involved in Dr. Robinson's misconduct in science:
1 R43 GM62708-01, ``Improved method for protein refolding'' (C.R.
Robinson, P.I.), submitted March 30, 2000; approved but not funded,
withdrawn.
1 P20 RR017716-01, ``Design of hierarchical recognition motifs,''
Project V, ``Determinants of stability and assembly of integral
membrane proteins'' (C.R. Robinson, Project Investigator), submitted
March 1, 2002, funded September 16, 2002, to August 30, 2007.
1 R01 GM074789-01, ``Folding and stability of integral membrane
proteins'' (C.R. Robinson, P.I.), submitted October 1, 2004; scored not
competitive, not funded.
1 R01 GM075891-01, ``Membrane protein expression, solubilization,
and refolding'' (C.R. Robinson, P.I.), submitted January 24, 2005;
approved but not funded, pending.
1 R21 GM07953-01, ``Mini-receptor analogs of GPCRs'' (C.R.
Robinson, P.I.), submitted January 25, 2005; not funded.
Specifically, PHS found that Dr. Robinson engaged in the following
acts of misconduct in science. With regard to the following paragraphs
numbered 1-6, nothing herein shall be deemed as an admission of
liability on the part of Dr. Robinson.
1. While at 3DP, Dr. Robinson systematically substituted
crystallized chicken ovalbumin in place of [beta]2-AR-NQ and
repeatedly provided these crystalline preparations to other scientists
to conduct molecular analyses. Dr. Robinson made false claims about his
progress on characterizing [beta]2-AR-NQ and falsely claimed
to have supplied purified [beta]2-AR-NQ to 3DP staff in
project team meetings (PTM) held on at least five occasions between
July 14, 1998, and July 7, 1999.
2. Dr. Robinson made multiple false claims about his research on
[beta]2-AR-NQ in NIH grant applications R44 GM58950-02,
submitted April 1, 1999, supplemental material for the same application
submitted on July 7, 1999, and NIH grant application R43 GM62708-01,
submitted March 30, 2000.
3. Dr. Robinson made similar claims as in item 1 above concerning
the wild type form of [beta]2-AR, by substituting canine
ovalbumin. Dr. Robinson's false claims were made to 3DP staff at PTM
meetings on at least three occasions between September 7, 1999, and
March 30, 2000, and in NIH grant application R43 GM62708-01, and after
moving to UD, in NIH grant application 1 P20 RR017716-01, submitted on
March 1, 2002.
4. Dr. Robinson was unable to adequately produce recombinant
[beta]2-AR in E. coli and made false claims at PTM meetings
in September and October 1999 that he had successfully expressed active
protein and had purified it for crystallization trials. Dr. Robinson
also made false claims in NIH grant applications R43 GM62708-01 and 1
R01 GM07589-01, submitted January 24, 2005, that he had purified large
amounts of [beta]2-AR-NQ from E. coli and that he had
reconstituted the protein into its native biologically active form.
5. Dr. Robinson made false claims about his ability to produce,
purify, and characterize a recombinant fragment of [beta]2-
AR-NQ containing four transmembrane domains ([beta]2-AR-4HB)
at PTM meetings in October 1998 and in NIH grant applications R44
GM58950-02 and 1 P20 RR017716-01.
6. Dr. Robinson falsified fluorescence spectra and circular
dichroism measurements in Figure 7 (both left and right panels) of NIH
grant application R44 GM58950-02 by substituting results obtained with
different proteins.
7. After moving to UD, Dr. Robinson made false claims in NIH grant
application 1 P20 RR017716-01, including presenting falsified data in
both panels of Figures V.5 (fluorescence spectra and circular dichroism
measurements) and V.9 (falsified experimental conditions).
8. While at UD, Dr. Robinson falsified circular dichroism and
fluorescence data in NIH grant application 1 R01 GM074789-01 (Figures
5A, 5B, and 6) and circular dichroism data in NIH grant applications 1
R01 GM075891-01 (Figure 6) and 1 R21 GM075953-01 (Figure 5).
9. In presentations at the Biophysical Society annual meeting and a
Cornell University Consortium meeting, both in 1999, Dr. Robinson
falsely represented data obtained with cytochrome b562 as being
obtained with [beta]2-AR.
Dr. Robinson has entered into a Voluntary Exclusion Agreement in
which he has voluntarily agreed, for a period of five (5) years,
beginning on October 23, 2006:
(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
as defined in the debarment regulations at 45 CFR Part 76; and
(2) 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 FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Director, Division of Investigative
Oversight, Office of Research Integrity, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite
750, Rockville, MD 20852, (240) 453-8800.
Chris B. Pascal,
Director, Office of Research Integrity.
[FR Doc. E6-19888 Filed 11-22-06; 8:45 am]
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