Primate research center head will keep job despite misconduct, provoking shock and dismay

A decision by the Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC) to retain its director with full duties despite a finding that he engaged in research misconduct has sparked disbelief. The investigation by the U.S. Office of Research Integrity (ORI), released Wednesday and first reported by Retraction Watch , found Deepak Kaushal guilty of “intentionally, knowingly, and/or recklessly falsifying and fabricating” data in a monkey study, which was published in one paper and two grant applications. “It’s disappointing that there’s no real consequences,” says JoAnne Flynn, a microbiologist at the University of Pittsburgh who studies tuberculosis in monkeys—the topic of Kaushal’s study. She worries the case and the lack of action by SNPRC will fuel public doubts about animal research. “It’s bad for the field,” she says. “There’s already such mistrust of science.” Kaushal has not escaped all consequences. As part of a settlement agreement with ORI, his research will be supervised for a year by a committee of senior faculty members. (The National Institutes of Health [NIH] says it is reviewing the impact of ORI’s findings but says it does not discuss cases.) ORI has no say over Kaushal’s employment at SNPRC, however, which is based in San Antonio. He will retain all his duties there, says Lisa Cruz, vice president of communications. “Dr. Kaushal is an outstanding and transformative SNPRC director and the misc...
Source: ScienceNOW - Category: Science Source Type: news