Thereza Imanishi-Kari
Encyclopedia
Thereza Imanishi-Kari is an Associate Professor of Pathology
at Tufts University
.
. In 1986, Imanishi-Kari had co-authored a scientific paper on immunology
with David Baltimore
. The paper, published in the scientific journal Cell
, showed unexpected results on how the immune system
rearranges its genes to produce antibodies
against antigen
s it encounters for the first time (see V(D)J recombination
). Margot O'Toole, a researcher in Imanishi-Kari's lab, claimed she could not reproduce some of the experiments in the paper and accused Imanishi-Kari of fabricating the data. Since the research had been funded by the U.S. federal government through the National Institutes of Health
, the matter was taken up by the United States Congress
, where it was aggressively pursued by, among others, Representative John Dingell
. Largely on the basis of these findings, NIH's fraud unit, then called the Office of Scientific Integrity, accused Dr. Imanishi-Kari in 1991 of falsifying data and recommended she be barred from receiving research grants for 10 years. In 1996, a newly-constituted HHS appeals panel, appointed by the federal government reviewed the case again and dismissed all charges against Imanishi-Kari. She continues as a scientist and publishes successfully. The Baltimore Case (1998), by Daniel Kevles, the Stanley Woodward Professor of History at Yale University details the case. The mathematician Serge Lang
presented a different view in an article published in the journal Ethics and Behavior in January 1993 http://www.gatewaycoalition.org/files/Gateway_Project_Moshe_Kam/Resource/DBCre/serge.html.
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
at Tufts University
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
.
Biography
Imanishi-Kari is best known for her role in an affair of alleged scientific misconductScientific misconduct
Scientific misconduct is the violation of the standard codes of scholarly conduct and ethical behavior in professional scientific research. A Lancet review on Handling of Scientific Misconduct in Scandinavian countries provides the following sample definitions: *Danish definition: "Intention or...
. In 1986, Imanishi-Kari had co-authored a scientific paper on immunology
Immunology
Immunology is a broad branch of biomedical science that covers the study of all aspects of the immune system in all organisms. It deals with the physiological functioning of the immune system in states of both health and diseases; malfunctions of the immune system in immunological disorders ; the...
with David Baltimore
David Baltimore
David Baltimore is an American biologist, university administrator, and Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine. He served as president of the California Institute of Technology from 1997 to 2006, and is currently the Robert A. Millikan Professor of Biology at Caltech...
. The paper, published in the scientific journal Cell
Cell (journal)
Cell is a peer-reviewed scientific journal publishing research papers across a broad range of disciplines within the life sciences. Areas covered include molecular biology, cell biology, systems biology, stem cells, developmental biology, genetics and genomics, proteomics, cancer research,...
, showed unexpected results on how the immune system
Immune system
An immune system is a system of biological structures and processes within an organism that protects against disease by identifying and killing pathogens and tumor cells. It detects a wide variety of agents, from viruses to parasitic worms, and needs to distinguish them from the organism's own...
rearranges its genes to produce antibodies
Antibody
An antibody, also known as an immunoglobulin, is a large Y-shaped protein used by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign objects such as bacteria and viruses. The antibody recognizes a unique part of the foreign target, termed an antigen...
against antigen
Antigen
An antigen is a foreign molecule that, when introduced into the body, triggers the production of an antibody by the immune system. The immune system will then kill or neutralize the antigen that is recognized as a foreign and potentially harmful invader. These invaders can be molecules such as...
s it encounters for the first time (see V(D)J recombination
V(D)J recombination
VJ recombination, also known as somatic recombination, is a mechanism of genetic recombination in the early stages of immunoglobulin and T cell receptors production of the immune system...
). Margot O'Toole, a researcher in Imanishi-Kari's lab, claimed she could not reproduce some of the experiments in the paper and accused Imanishi-Kari of fabricating the data. Since the research had been funded by the U.S. federal government through the National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
, the matter was taken up by the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, where it was aggressively pursued by, among others, Representative John Dingell
John Dingell
John David Dingell, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1955 . He is a member of the Democratic Party...
. Largely on the basis of these findings, NIH's fraud unit, then called the Office of Scientific Integrity, accused Dr. Imanishi-Kari in 1991 of falsifying data and recommended she be barred from receiving research grants for 10 years. In 1996, a newly-constituted HHS appeals panel, appointed by the federal government reviewed the case again and dismissed all charges against Imanishi-Kari. She continues as a scientist and publishes successfully. The Baltimore Case (1998), by Daniel Kevles, the Stanley Woodward Professor of History at Yale University details the case. The mathematician Serge Lang
Serge Lang
Serge Lang was a French-born American mathematician. He was known for his work in number theory and for his mathematics textbooks, including the influential Algebra...
presented a different view in an article published in the journal Ethics and Behavior in January 1993 http://www.gatewaycoalition.org/files/Gateway_Project_Moshe_Kam/Resource/DBCre/serge.html.