Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Site Tools

  • AAAS
  • Subscribe
  • Feedback

Site Search

Search Advanced

Science 7 April 2006:
Vol. 312. no. 5770, p. 35
DOI: 10.1126/science.312.5770.35c
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

ScienceScope

TOKYO--A genetics center is the latest victim of a scandal roiling the Japanese scientific community. Last week, the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology in Tsukuba announced it will close a 3-year-old gene function research center led by Kazunari Taira, a University of Tokyo chemist under fire over his failure to substantiate findings in a series of papers published in prominent journals (Science, 3 February, p. 595).

In an action that an institute official says is not a disciplinary measure, the institute has opted not to extend the contracts of Taira and a key associate, transferring the 51 other center staff members to other labs. "The misconduct problem has made it very difficult to administer the research center," says institute director Masanori Yoshikai. Last week, a University of Tokyo investigative committee said it found no solid evidence of deliberate fraud in the original work but that Hiroaki Kawasaki, a research associate in Taira's lab, fabricated data during attempts to reproduce the experiments. Taira intends to retract four papers; a disciplinary panel will weigh in next week.




To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)