Summary
- A neuroscientist who helped develop a potential treatment for Alzheimer’s disease has been indicted on fraud charges.
- The charges relate to allegations that the scientists fabricated research images and data that they may have used to win grant funding.
- Manipulation of research images is a growing concern in the scientific community.
A neuroscientist who contributed to the development of a potential Alzheimer’s disease treatment is facing fraud charges after a federal grand jury indictment on Thursday.
The indictment alleges that Wang Huaoyang, a professor of medicine at the City University of New York, engaged in fraudulent activities, including falsifying research images and data to secure grant funding from the National Institutes of Health.
Wang worked with Cassava Sciences, a pharmaceutical company based in Austin, Texas, on the development of simufilam, a drug candidate for Alzheimer’s disease. The indictment states that Wang received around $16 million in grant funding from Cassava for early-stage drug development.
The indictment accuses Wang of fraud against the United States, wire fraud, and making false statements. It claims that Wang manipulated images of Western blots, a laboratory technique used to detect proteins, to support his research and grant applications.
The indictment also suggests that Wang provided false information to scientific journals to support his research on symphyllum, a drug currently in late-stage clinical trials.
Despite the charges, Wang did not respond to requests for comment. His research has faced scrutiny in the past, leading to retractions of multiple studies and an investigation by CUNY.
Cassava Sciences confirmed that Wang was not involved in their latest clinical trials and emphasized that his research focused on early-stage drug development.
The scientific community has expressed growing concerns about research misconduct and the manipulation of data and images. Instances of research misconduct, such as the allegations against Wang, have led to retractions of studies and raised questions about the integrity of scientific research.
CUNY has stated that they will cooperate fully with the federal investigation into Wang’s alleged misconduct until the matter is resolved. The university acknowledges the seriousness of the charges and the impact they may have on the scientific community.
The case highlights the importance of maintaining integrity and transparency in scientific research to ensure the credibility and validity of scientific discoveries.
Retraction Watch has reported on the retraction of several academic papers authored by Wang, further underscoring the need for accountability and ethical practices in scientific research.
Source: www.nbcnews.com
