A teaching hospital affiliated with Harvard University is seeking to retract or correct dozens of papers authored by four of its top researchers — including the hospital’s CEO — following an investigation into alleged data falsification.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston has already initiated six paper retractions and 31 more are in the process of being corrected, the hospital’s research integrity officer, Dr. Barrett Rollins, committed to the Harvard Crimson.
The correction follows allegations of data falsification made against the Chief Executive Officer of the cancer institute, Dr. Laurie Glimcher, chief operating officer Dr. William Hahn, director of the Clinical Investigator Research Program Dr. Irene Ghobrial and Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center program director Dr. Kenneth Anderson.
The latest allegations come just weeks after Harvard University president Claudine Gay resigned from her top post after she became embroiled in her own plagiarism scandal.
The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston is seeking to retract or correct dozens of papers authored by four of its top researchers — including the hospital’s CEO, Dr. Laurie Glimcher. Boston Globe via Getty Images
All four Dana-Farber researchers have faculty appointments with Harvard Medical School.
News of the investigation comes after data researcher Sholto David published a blog post earlier this month alleging irregularities in a total of 57 papers.
The exact nature of the retraction or correction was not immediately known, but online investigators had previously alleged elements of “data falsification” linked to discrepancies in the images, including overlapping patches, bands and plots.
It is also unclear whether the institute has found any evidence of wrongdoing during its investigation.
The hospital’s research integrity officer said that while discrepancies were identified in some papers, they did not necessarily provide evidence of the authors’ intent to deceive.
“That conclusion can only be made after a thorough examination of the facts that are part of our response,” Rollins said.
The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston has already initiated six paper retractions and 31 more are in the process of being corrected, the hospital’s research integrity officer said. Boston Globe via Getty Images
“Our experience is that errors are often unintentional and do not rise to the level of misconduct.”
The institute and the researchers involved took “immediate and decisive action” on the first 37 papers, while the 38th manuscript is still under investigation, according to Rollins.
Of the 19 other papers flagged by David, Rollins said three did not require further action and 16 were still under investigation because the data in question was collected in a lab that did not belong to the four researchers.
“If possible, the heads of all the other labs have been contacted and we will work with them to make sure they correct the literature as required,” Rollins said.
“We are committed to a culture of accountability and integrity. Every question about the integrity of the research is fully investigated.”
Dr. Kenneth Anderson is program director of the Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center. Dr. Irene Ghobrial leads the Clinical Investigator Research Program. Sam Ogden
Glimcher and three other researchers did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
The Post also contacted the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
The new allegations are just the latest tranche of claims leveled against Harvard-affiliated researchers after the Ivy League school’s president stepped down from his prestigious post following weeks of controversy over his own academic record.
Chief operating officer Dr. William Hahn was also involved in the investigation. Sam Ogden
Gay’s academic career came under serious scrutiny after he was hit with nearly 50 accusations of plagiarism or insufficient citations.
The Harvard Corporation, Harvard’s governing board, said the review had shown “several examples of inadequate citations” but no evidence of research misconduct.
The board added that Gay would update his dissertation and request corrections.
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