A Canadian heart institute has shut down a laboratory run by a leading Chinese medical researcher and revoked his professional status as a researcher following accusations of research misconduct.
The Montreal Heart Institute (MHI) announced on 2 September that Zhiguo Wang’s laboratory had been closed for good following the conclusion of an investigation into his professional conduct.
At the end of June, MHI officials were informed that two of Wang’s papers had been removed from scientific journals, spurring the institute’s management team to order an independent investigation.
After the investigation concluded that Wang’s research “deviated from MHI’s ethical standards of proper scientific conduct and his responsibilities as a researcher”, a decision to impose sanctions was taken.
The MHI has also asked that a further three of Wang’s papers be retracted from science journals.
“Mr Wang is not a physician. His activities at MHI consisted in conducting fundamental research studies at the cellular level. Mr Wang’s research did not involve patients and was not associated with drug testing,” said Jean-Claude Tardif, MHI’s director, in a statement.