Notice2022-17264
Findings of Research Misconduct
Primary source
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Published
August 11, 2022
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services Department
Abstract
Findings of research misconduct have been made against Stuart G. Jarrett, Ph.D. (Respondent), former research-track assistant professor, Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology and Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky (UK) College of Medicine. Respondent engaged in research misconduct under 42 CFR part 93 in research supported by U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) funds, specifically National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), grants R01 CA131075 and T32 CA165990, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), NIH, grant UL1 TR000117, and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), NIH, grant T32 ES007266. The administrative actions, including debarment for a period of four (4) years, were implemented beginning on July 18, 2022, and are detailed below.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 154 (Thursday, August 11, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 154 (Thursday, August 11, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49597-49598]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-17264]
[[Page 49597]]
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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 Stuart
G. Jarrett, Ph.D. (Respondent), former research-track assistant
professor, Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology and Markey
Cancer Center, University of Kentucky (UK) College of Medicine.
Respondent engaged in research misconduct under 42 CFR part 93 in
research supported by U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) funds,
specifically National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of
Health (NIH), grants R01 CA131075 and T32 CA165990, National Center for
Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), NIH, grant UL1 TR000117, and
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), NIH, grant
T32 ES007266. The administrative actions, including debarment for a
period of four (4) years, were implemented beginning on July 18, 2022,
and are detailed below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wanda K. Jones, Dr.P.H., Acting
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:
Stuart G. Jarrett, Ph.D., University of Kentucky: Based on the
evidence and findings of an investigation conducted by UK, ORI's
oversight review of UK's investigation, and additional evidence
obtained and analysis conducted by ORI during its oversight review, ORI
found that Dr. Stuart G. Jarrett, former research-track assistant
professor, Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology and Markey
Cancer Center, UK College of Medicine, engaged in research misconduct
under 42 CFR part 93 in research supported by PHS funds, specifically
NCI, NIH, grants R01 CA131075 and T32 CA165990, NCATS, NIH, grant UL1
TR000117, and NIEHS, NIH, grant T32 ES007266.
ORI found by a preponderance of the evidence that Respondent
intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly falsified and/or fabricated
Western blot and histological image data related to mechanisms of
melanoma protection by reusing, relabeling, and manipulating images or
using blank panels to falsely report data in twenty-eight (28) figures
included in four (4) PHS-supported published papers, one (1) funded PHS
grant application, and two (2) unfunded PHS grant applications. ORI
found that these acts constitute a significant departure from accepted
practices of the relevant research community. The affected papers and
grant applications are:
<bullet> PKA-mediated phosphorylation of ATR promotes recruitment of
XPA to UV-induced DNA damage. Mol. Cell 2014 Jun 19;54(6):999-1011;
doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2014.05.030 (hereafter referred to as ``Mol. Cell
2014'').
<bullet> AKAP12 mediates PKA-induced phosphorylation of ATR to enhance
nucleotide excision repair. Nucleic Acids Res. 2016 Dec
15;44(22):10711-26; doi: 10.1093/nar/gkw871 (hereafter referred to as
``Nucleic Acids Res. 2016''). Retraction in: Nucleic Acids Res. 2020
Nov 18; 48(20):11814; doi: 10.1093/nar/gkaa984.
<bullet> Sirtuin 1-mediated deacetylation of XPA DNA repair protein
enhances its interaction with ATR protein and promotes cAMP-induced DNA
repair of UV damage. J. Biol. Chem. 2018 Dec 7; 293(49): 19025-37; doi:
10.1074/jbc.RA118.003940 (hereafter referred to as ``JBC 2018'').
Retraction in: J. Biol. Chem. 2021 Jan-Jun;296:100185; doi: 10.1016/
j.jbc.2020.100185.
<bullet> The melanocortin signaling cAMP axis accelerates repair and
reduces mutagenesis of platinum-induced DNA damage. Sci. Rep. 2017 Sep
15;7(1):11708; doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-12056-5 (hereafter referred to
as ``Sci. Rep. 2017''). Retraction in: Sci. Rep. 2021 Jan 7;11(1):847;
doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-80467-y.
<bullet> R01 CA131075-06, ``Defining the contribution of ATR to MC1R-
enhanced DNA repair in melanocytes,'' submitted to NCI, NIH, on July 1,
2014 (not funded).
<bullet> R01 CA131075-06A1, ``Defining the contribution of ATR to MC1R-
enhanced DNA repair in melanocytes,'' submitted to NCI, NIH, on March
2, 2015, Funded Project Dates: July 1, 2010-March 31, 2022.
<bullet> R01 CA207312-01, ``Defining mechanisms of MC1R-enhanced
nucleotide excision repair in melanocytes,'' submitted to NCI, NIH, on
October 1, 2015 (not funded).
Specifically, ORI found by a preponderance of the evidence that
Respondent engaged in research misconduct by intentionally, knowingly,
or recklessly falsifying and/or fabricating:
<bullet> Western blot images in Figures 7D and 7E of Mol. Cell 2014 by
reusing, manipulating, and relabeling an image to falsely represent
different experiments in UV-untreated cells in Figure 7D and in UV-
treated cells in Figure 7E
<bullet> Western blot images in Supplemental Figure 3C of Mol. Cell.
2014 by reusing, manipulating, and relabeling a blot panel image to
falsely represent different experiments involving [6-4]-photoproducts
and XPA
<bullet> confocal microscopic images of melanocytes in Figure 1C of
Nucleic Acids Res. 2016 by inserting a blank image panel to falsely
represent the absence of proximity ligation assay (PLA) signal in a
negative control experiment when the original image showed PLA signal
<bullet> confocal microscopic images of melanocytes in Figure 5B of
Nucleic Acids Res. 2016, by inserting blank image panels to falsely
represent UV-untreated control experiments, and the quantification
reported in Figure 5C that was derived from falsified and/or fabricated
images in Figure 5B
<bullet> confocal microscopic images of melanocytes in Figure 6A of
Nucleic Acids Res. 2016, by inserting blank image panels to falsely
represent the absence of PLA signal in negative control experiments
when the original images showed PLA signal, and the quantification
reported in Figure 6C that was derived from falsified and/or fabricated
images in Figure 6A
<bullet> confocal microscopic images of melanocytes in Figure 6B of
Nucleic Acids Res. 2016, by inserting blank image panels to falsely
represent UV-untreated control experiments, and the quantification
reported in Figure 6C that was derived from falsified and/or fabricated
images in Figure 6B
<bullet> confocal microscopic images of melanocytes in Figure 6D of
Nucleic Acids Res. 2016, by inserting blank image panels to falsely
represent no PLA signal in control experiments when the original images
showed PLA signal, and the quantification reported in Figure 6F that
was derived from falsified and/or fabricated images in Figure 6D
<bullet> confocal microscopic images of melanocytes in Figure 6E of
Nucleic Acids Res. 2016, by inserting blank image panels to falsely
represent UV-untreated control experiments, and the quantification
reported in Figure 6F that was derived from falsified and/or fabricated
images in Figure 6E
<bullet> confocal microscopic images of melanocytes in Figure 6G of
Nucleic Acids Res. 2016 by inserting blank image panels to falsely
represent the
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absence of nuclear localization of XPA, AKAP12, and ATR-pS435 in
unirradiated cells transfected with wild-type AKAP12 when the original
images showed positive signal
<bullet> confocal microscopic images of melanocytes in Figure 6H of
Nucleic Acids Res. 2016 by inserting blank image panels to falsely
represent the absence of nuclear localization of XPA, AKAP12, and ATR-
pS435 in unirradiated cells transfected with mutant AKAP12 when the
original images showed positive signal
<bullet> confocal microscopic images of melanocytes in Figure 5A of
Sci. Rep. 2017, by inserting blank image panels in the top row, panels
1 and 4, to falsely represent negative control experiments, and the
quantification reported in Figure 5B that was derived from falsified
and/or fabricated images in Figure 5A
<bullet> confocal microscopic images of melanocytes in Figure 1A, top
row, panels 1, 3, 5, and 7, of JBC 2018, by inserting blank image
panels to represent negative control experiments, and the
quantification in Figure 1B that was derived from falsified and/or
fabricated images in Figure 1A
<bullet> confocal microscopic images of melanocytes in Figure 2B of JBC
2018 by using two different cells from the same source image to falsely
represent different experimental results: a cell for control conditions
(top row, panel 1) and another cell to represent the outcome of the
treatment conditions (top row, panel 8), as well as the quantification
reported in Figure 2C that was derived from falsified and/or fabricated
images in Figure 2B
<bullet> confocal microscopic images of melanocytes in Figure 3D of JBC
2018 by using two different cell images from the same source image to
falsely represent different experimental results in: XPA-K215Q
transfected cells without forskolin (column 3, rows 1 and 2 of lower
right set of panels) and XPA-K215Q transfected cells with forskolin
(column 4, rows 1 and 2 of lower right set of panels), and the
quantification reported in Figure 3D that was derived from falsified
and/or fabricated images in Figure 3D
<bullet> confocal microscopic images of melanocytes in JBC 2018 Figure
3D, column 1, rows 1 and 2, of ``XPA-WT'' set of panels, and in JBC
2018 Figure 3D, column 1, rows 1 and 2, of ``XPA-K63Q'' set of panels,
by using the same image field to represent UV untreated cells ``XPA-
WT'' and ``XPA-K63Q'' mutant, and the quantification reported in Figure
3D that was derived from falsified and/or fabricated images in Figure
3D
<bullet> confocal microscopic images of melanocytes in Figure 2D
(images in column 1, rows 1 and 3) of Mol. Cell 2014 by reusing,
manipulating, and relabeling an image to falsely represent the absence
of [6-4]-PP in both vehicle-treated cells and forskolin-treated cells
in negative control experiments
<bullet> confocal microscopic images of melanocytes in Figure 7C of
Mol. Cell 2014 (and in Figure 2F of R01 CA207312-01, Figure 5A of R01
CA131075-06, and Figure 3B of R01 CA131075-06A1), by inserting blank
image panels to falsely represent forskolin-treated cells and untreated
cells without UV exposure, and the quantification reported in Figure 7C
and Figure 5A of R01 CA131075-06 that was derived from falsified and/or
fabricated images in Figure 7C
<bullet> confocal microscopic images of melanocytes in Figure 4E of R01
CA131075-06A1 and Figure 4C of R01 CA207312-01 by using cell images
from the same source micrograph to falsely represent cAMP-augmented
interaction between pS435-ATR and AKAP12
The following administrative actions have been implemented:
(1) For a period of four (4) years, beginning on July 18, 2022,
Respondent is debarred from participating in ``covered transactions''
as defined in 42 CFR 180.200 and procurement transactions covered under
the Federal Acquisition Regulation (48 CFR chapter 1).
(2) Respondent is prohibited 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 four (4) years, beginning on July 18, 2022.
(3) In accordance with 42 CFR 93.407(a)(1) and 93.411(b), HHS will
send to the journal Molecular Cell a notice of ORI's findings and the
need for retraction of Mol. Cell 2014 Jun 19;54(6):999-1011; doi:
10.1016/j.molcel.2014.05.030.
Dated: August 8, 2022.
Wanda K. Jones,
Acting Director, Office of Research Integrity, Office of the Assistant
Secretary for Health.
[FR Doc. 2022-17264 Filed 8-10-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-31-P
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