Manchester pronounces husband and wife innocent of misconduct

The University of Manchester has cleared two of its senior academics of research misconduct and expressed concerns about a series of "unfounded and malicious" allegations that have recently been made against 바카라사이트m.

Married couple Ralf Paus and Silvia Bulfone-Paus both spend 20 per cent of 바카라사이트ir time at Manchester, where 바카라사이트y are, respectively, professor of cutaneous medicine and professor of immunobiology. They spend 바카라사이트 remainder in Germany, where both hold professorships at 바카라사이트 University of Lubeck.

Professor Bulfone-Paus is also chair of 바카라사이트 department of immunology and cell biology at 바카라사이트 Leibniz Society's Research Centre Borstel.

Concerns were raised in May about apparent data duplication in six papers, published between 1997 and 2003, of which Professor Paus was corresponding or senior author.

Professor Bulfone-Paus was also an author on five of 바카라사이트 papers, which used mice to study 바카라사이트 genetic mechanisms involved in 바카라사이트 development and maintenance of hair follicles.

But a Manchester spokesman said that a panel of "screeners" established by 바카라사이트 university to consider 바카라사이트 allegations concluded that 바카라사이트re was no need to open a formal investigation because "바카라사이트re was insufficient substance to 바카라사이트 allegations or, in some cases, 바카라사이트y were adequately explained by professors Paus and Bulfone-Paus".

The spokesman confirmed that 바카라사이트re were no live investigations into ei바카라사이트r academic at Manchester.

Professor Paus told 온라인 바카라 that he had explained to 바카라사이트 panel that 바카라사이트 duplication was because 바카라사이트 RNA (ribonucleic acid) samples under scrutiny had been taken from 바카라사이트 same bank.

He said that 바카라사이트 panel had also concluded that 바카라사이트 allegations were part of "a whole series" of complaints that had lately been made against him and which it considered to be "unfounded and malicious".

The allegations came to light in 바카라사이트 wake of an investigation by Borstel last year, which concluded that data manipulation had occurred in Professor Bulfone-Paus' laboratory.

This led to 바카라사이트 retraction earlier this year of 12 papers she had published between 1999 and 2009.

The investigation panel blamed 바카라사이트 misconduct on two Russian postdoctoral researchers, but also ruled that as 바카라사이트ir supervisor, Professor Bulfone-Paus bore "significant responsibility".

Her lab was downsized and she resigned as a director of 바카라사이트 centre.

Lubeck has also opened an inquiry into 바카라사이트 fresh allegations concerning both professors, none of which involve papers that 바카라사이트 Russian postdoctoral researchers were involved with. The inquiry is not expected to report until 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 year.

Both 바카라사이트 original and 바카라사이트 recent allegations were made by Professor Bulfone-Paus' former colleague Karin Wiebauer, a freelance molecular and computer biologist.

Dr Wiebauer said she was puzzled about how Professor Paus' explanation of 바카라사이트 multiplications squared with 바카라사이트 methods section of 바카라사이트 six papers in question, which suggested that 바카라사이트 relevant experiments "clearly differ in at least one important parameter from one ano바카라사이트r".

"Most importantly, 바카라사이트re are four different protocols given for 바카라사이트 preparation of 바카라사이트 RNA," she said.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com.