83_FR_35200 83 FR 35058 - Findings of Research Misconduct

83 FR 35058 - Findings of Research Misconduct

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 142 (July 24, 2018)

Page Range35058-35058
FR Document2018-15762

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), gives notice that the Department has made findings of research misconduct against Alba Chavez-Dozal, Ph.D., a former employee of the New Mexico VA Health Care System in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 142 (Tuesday, July 24, 2018) 
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 142 (Tuesday, July 24, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 35058]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-15762]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Findings of Research Misconduct

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Department of 
Veterans Affairs (VA), gives notice that the Department has made 
findings of research misconduct against Alba Chavez-Dozal, Ph.D., a 
former employee of the New Mexico VA Health Care System in Albuquerque, 
New Mexico.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Research Misconduct Officer, Office of 
Research Oversight, 10R, Veterans Health Administration, Department of 
Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20420, (202) 
632-7620. This is not a toll free number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Veterans Health Administration (VHA), 
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), gives notice under VHA Handbook 
1058.02 ``Research Misconduct'' Sec.  6k, that the Department has made 
findings of research misconduct against Alba Chavez-Dozal, Ph.D., a 
former employee of the New Mexico VA Health Care System in Albuquerque, 
New Mexico.
    Specifically, the Department found that the Respondent, a post-
doctoral research fellow who formerly held a VA without compensation 
appointment, engaged in research misconduct by intentionally and/or 
knowingly:
    (1) Recording fabricated data that described the generation and 
characterization of an END3 mutant yeast strain and presenting that 
data at two lab meetings;
    (2) Fabricating the image of a Southern blot reported in Figure 1A 
of a journal article titled ``Functional Analysis of the Exocyst 
Subunit Sec15 in Candida albicans'' published in Eukaryot Cell (2015) 
14:1228-39. (Retraction in: Eukaryot Cell (2015) 14(12):ii);
    (3) Falsifying research results by using the same protein gel to 
represent two different experiments: A degradation assay utilizing the 
SEC15 mutant in Figure 6A of the publication Eukaryot Cell (2015) 
14:1228-39 and a degradation assay utilizing the SEC6 mutant in Figure 
9A of a journal article titled ``The Candida albicans Exocyst Subunit 
Sec6 Contributes to Cell Wall Integrity and is a Determinant of Hyphal 
Branching'' published in Eukaryot Cell (2015) 14:684-97. (Retraction 
in: Eukaryot Cell (2015) 14(12):i);
    (4) Falsifying research results reported in Figures 4A (vacuole 
characterization), 6 (cell growth) and 9B (lipase secretion) of the 
publication Eukaryot Cell (2015) 14:684-97 by using images that 
represent different conditions than those reported;
    (5) Falsifying protein localization results reported in Figures 7, 
8 and 9 of the publication Eukaryot Cell (2015) 14:1228-39 by using 
microscopy images that represent different conditions than those 
reported; and
    (6) Republishing falsified data from Eukaryot Cell (2015) 14:684-97 
and Eukaryot Cell (2015) 14:1228-39 in the review article titled ``The 
exocyst in Candida albicans polarized secretion and filamentation'' in 
Curr Genet (2016) 62:343-6. (Retraction in: Curr Genet (2016) 62:911).
    In response to these findings, the Department has imposed the 
following corrective actions:
    (1) Prohibition from conducting VA research for four years.
    (2) Publication of VA's finding of research misconduct.

Signing Authority

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or designee, approved this 
document and authorized the undersigned to sign and submit the document 
to the Office of the Federal Register for publication electronically as 
an official document of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Jacquelyn 
Hayes-Byrd, Acting Chief of Staff, Department of Veterans Affairs, 
approved this document on June 27, 2018, for publication.

    Dated: July 18, 2018.
Jeffrey M. Martin,
Impact Analyst, Office of Regulation Policy & Management, Office of the 
Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2018-15762 Filed 7-23-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P

35058 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 142 / Tuesday, July 24, 2018 / Notices can become a qualified automatic (2) Fabricating the image of a Dated: July 18, 2018. contribution arrangement and Southern blot reported in Figure 1A of Jeffrey M. Martin, automatically satisfy the ADP test of a journal article titled ‘‘Functional Impact Analyst, Office of Regulation Policy section 401(k)(3)A)(ii). These Analysis of the Exocyst Subunit Sec15 & Management, Office of the Secretary, regulations also describe how an in Candida albicans’’ published in Department of Veterans Affairs. automatic contribution arrangement can Eukaryot Cell (2015) 14:1228–39. [FR Doc. 2018–15762 Filed 7–23–18; 8:45 am] become an eligible automatic (Retraction in: Eukaryot Cell (2015) BILLING CODE 8320–01–P contribution arrangement and 14(12):ii); employees can get back mistaken contributions. (3) Falsifying research results by using the same protein gel to represent two DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS Form: None. AFFAIRS Affected Public: Businesses or other different experiments: A degradation for-profits. assay utilizing the SEC15 mutant in Veterans’ Advisory Committee on Estimated Total Annual Burden Figure 6A of the publication Eukaryot Rehabilitation; Notice of Meeting Hours: 30,000. Cell (2015) 14:1228–39 and a degradation assay utilizing the SEC6 The Department of Veterans Affairs Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. mutant in Figure 9A of a journal article (VA) gives notice under the Federal Dated: July 19, 2018. titled ‘‘The Candida albicans Exocyst Advisory Committee Act that a meeting Jennifer P. Quintana, Subunit Sec6 Contributes to Cell Wall of the Veterans’ Advisory Committee on Treasury PRA Clearance Officer. Integrity and is a Determinant of Hyphal Rehabilitation (VACOR) will be held on [FR Doc. 2018–15821 Filed 7–23–18; 8:45 am] Branching’’ published in Eukaryot Cell Tuesday and Wednesday, August 28–29, BILLING CODE 4830–01–P (2015) 14:684–97. (Retraction in: 2018, in Room 542, 1800 G Street NW, Eukaryot Cell (2015) 14(12):i); Washington, DC 20006. The meeting (4) Falsifying research results reported will begin at 8:30 a.m. EST and adjourn DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS in Figures 4A (vacuole characterization), at 4:00 p.m. EST each day. The meeting AFFAIRS 6 (cell growth) and 9B (lipase secretion) is open to the public. of the publication Eukaryot Cell (2015) The purpose of the Committee is to Findings of Research Misconduct 14:684–97 by using images that provide advice to the Secretary on the AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs. represent different conditions than rehabilitation needs of Veterans with ACTION: Notice. those reported; disabilities and on the administration of (5) Falsifying protein localization VA’s rehabilitation programs. SUMMARY: The Veterans Health results reported in Figures 7, 8 and 9 of On August 27, 2018, Committee Administration (VHA), Department of the publication Eukaryot Cell (2015) members will be provided with updated Veterans Affairs (VA), gives notice that 14:1228–39 by using microscopy images briefings on various VA programs the Department has made findings of that represent different conditions than designed to enhance the rehabilitative research misconduct against Alba those reported; and potential of disabled Veterans. Chavez-Dozal, Ph.D., a former employee of the New Mexico VA Health Care (6) Republishing falsified data from On August 28, 2018, the Committee System in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Eukaryot Cell (2015) 14:684–97 and will begin consideration of potential Eukaryot Cell (2015) 14:1228–39 in the recommendations to be included in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: review article titled ‘‘The exocyst in Committee’s next annual report. Research Misconduct Officer, Office of Research Oversight, 10R, Veterans Candida albicans polarized secretion Although no time will be allocated for Health Administration, Department of and filamentation’’ in Curr Genet (2016) receiving oral presentations from the Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue 62:343–6. (Retraction in: Curr Genet public, members of the public may NW, Washington, DC 20420, (202) 632– (2016) 62:911). submit written statements for review by 7620. This is not a toll free number. In response to these findings, the the Committee to Sabrina McNeil, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department has imposed the following Designated Federal Officer, Veterans Veterans Health Administration (VHA), corrective actions: Benefits Administration (28), 810 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC (1) Prohibition from conducting VA 20420, or via email at Sabrina.McNeil@ gives notice under VHA Handbook research for four years. 1058.02 ‘‘Research Misconduct’’ § 6k, va.gov. In the communication, writers that the Department has made findings (2) Publication of VA’s finding of must identify themselves and state the of research misconduct against Alba research misconduct. organization, association or person(s) Chavez-Dozal, Ph.D., a former employee they represent. Because the meeting is Signing Authority of the New Mexico VA Health Care being held in a government building, a System in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or photo I.D. must be presented at the Specifically, the Department found designee, approved this document and Guard’s Desk as part of the clearance that the Respondent, a post-doctoral authorized the undersigned to sign and process. Due to an increase in security research fellow who formerly held a VA submit the document to the Office of the protocols, and in order to prevent delays without compensation appointment, in clearance processing, you should jstallworth on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with NOTICES Federal Register for publication engaged in research misconduct by electronically as an official document of allow an additional 30 minutes before intentionally and/or knowingly: the Department of Veterans Affairs. the meeting begins. Any member of the (1) Recording fabricated data that Jacquelyn Hayes-Byrd, Acting Chief of public who wish to attend the meeting described the generation and Staff, Department of Veterans Affairs, should RSVP to Sabrina McNeil at (202) characterization of an END3 mutant approved this document on June 27, 461–9618 no later than close of yeast strain and presenting that data at business, August 20, 2018, at the phone 2018, for publication. two lab meetings; number or email address noted above. VerDate Sep<11>2014 13:59 Jul 23, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00078 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\24JYN1.SGM 24JYN1


Document Created: 2018-07-24 00:10:20
Document Modified: 2018-07-24 00:10:20
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice.
ContactResearch Misconduct Officer, Office of Research Oversight, 10R, Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20420, (202) 632-7620. This is not a toll free number.
FR Citation83 FR 35058 
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