Stem cell work under investigation

Australia's Monash University is investigating evidence that researchers submitted false reports to a funding body over the progress of a publicly funded stem cell project, it emerged this week.One researcher in particular, whose name has not been made public, is the focus of the investigation. He worked on the project at the Monash Immunology and Stem Cell Laboratories under renowned investigator Alan Trounson, who will next year take the helm at the $3 billion California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. The researcher, who has since left the university, was a senior member of a team working on the Adult Stem Cell Lung Regeneration Project. It aimed to see how adult mesenchymal stem cells might be used to regenerate lung tissue in preclinical models of cystic fibrosis. The project had received $1.2 million funding over 18 months from the Australian Stem Cell Centre (ASCC). But in November last year, routine checks by the ASCC showed that claims made in a number of routine 90-day progress reports were not supported by documentation from lab notebooks. According to Australian media reports, the progress reports falsely claimed the group had reached pre-set milestones, including developing a mouse model of smoking-related lung damage and that producing experimental results showing that treatment with adult stem cells reversed respiratory damage in the mouse.A three-week investigation by the ASCC raised enough questions about the work for the agency to cancel its funding of the project in February. "The ASCC is entrusted with tax-payer's money and we're entrusted to apply that money to the very best research to achieve the results that can come up with a clinical benefit," the spokeswoman said.Late 2006, the ASCC passed their evidence on to the deputy vice chancellor for research at Monash, Edwina Cornish, and she set up an investigation committee of academics to confidentially examine the evidence, a Monash University spokesman said.Both Alan Trounson, as project leader, and the other researcher had signed the reports in question. However Trounson has not been implicated in the current investigation, the spokesman told The Scientist."There were many people working on the projects, and only one of those has been investigated," added Richard Boyd, who is acting as interim director of the Monash Immunology and Stem Cell Laboratories now that Trounson is moving to California. "It's a reminder to scientists of the need to be diligent with data monitoring and recording." Boyd said the final report from the university was likely to be imminent, and that the investigating committee has kept all claims and data confidential. He added: "I have no idea what the outcome will be... but no-one has ever indicated to me that the person involved had deliberately fabricated data."Dale Carlson, spokesman for the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, told The Scientist Trounson had discussed the matter with CIRM officials prior to his appointment. "It's important to note that Dr. Trounson is not under investigation," he added. "We are aware of the matter and have it under careful review." No data generated by the research has been published, and none will be, the ASCC said. Trounson's office told The Scientist he would not comment while the investigation was ongoing.Stephen Pincock mail@the-scientist.comEditor's note: In a previous version of this article, information regarding the details of the progress reports was incorrectly attributed. The Scientist regrets the error.Links within this article:C. Crawford, "Stem cell research project under investigation," Herald Sun, October 13, 2007. http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22576948-2862,00.htmlA. Katsnelson, "Calif. stem cell institute appoints president," The Scientist, September 17, 2007. http://www.the-scientist.com/blog/display/53594/A. McCook, "California stem cell ball rolling, sort of," The Scientist, September 2005. http://www.the-scientist.com/article/display/22768Stem cells in respiratory repair http://med.monash.edu.au/miscl/research/respiratory-repair.htmlAustralian Stem Cell Centre http://www.stemcellcentre.edu.au/Edwina Cornish http://www.monash.edu.au/research/dvc.htmlRichard Boyd http://www.med.monash.edu.au/miscl/research/immune-regeneration.html

Stem cell work under investigation

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