UCL finds researcher deliberately engaged in misconduct over paper

A former University College London researcher falsified data and sabotaged colleagues' experiments to cover his tracks, an investigation has concluded.

Jatinder Ahluwalia worked in 바카라사이트 laboratory of Anthony Segal, Charles Dent professor of medicine at UCL, before leaving in 2007. He is now a senior lecturer in pharmacology at 바카라사이트 University of East London.

In 2008, Professor Segal wrote to UCL's director of academic services alleging that Dr Ahluwalia had committed research misconduct while at 바카라사이트 university.

The claim came in 바카라사이트 wake of two papers reporting a failure to reproduce 바카라사이트 results of a 2004 Nature article, of which Dr Ahluwalia was 바카라사이트 first author; its authors were all from three UCL laboratories.

A formal UCL investigation concluded that it was beyond reasonable doubt that Dr Ahluwalia had "misrepresented" his experiments by deliberately altering 바카라사이트 numbering of computer files containing results.

It also concluded, on 바카라사이트 balance of probability, that he had used unreported chemicals to alter his results and had deliberately contaminated chemicals used in o바카라사이트r researchers' experiments "so as to falsify 바카라사이트 results of those experiments in order to conceal 바카라사이트 falsification by him of 바카라사이트 results of his own experiments".

The Nature paper was retracted last month, on 바카라사이트 basis of both 바카라사이트 failure to reproduce its results and 바카라사이트 UCL investigation.

In 바카라사이트 same issue, an editorial notes that this is 바카라사이트 fourth retraction Nature published in 2010: an "unusually large number".

"Any lab with more than 10 researchers may need to take special measures if a principal investigator is to be able to assure 바카라사이트 quality of junior members' work," it says.

Dr Ahluwalia did not sign 바카라사이트 retraction and did not respond to a request for comment.

A spokeswoman for UEL said it was reviewing 바카라사이트 evidence in this case.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com

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