Immunologist accused of misconduct is allowed to relocate
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《英国医生杂志》
Sydney
The leading Sydney specialist in immunology, Bruce Hall, who was accused of scientific misconduct, will escape any punishment after a controversial decision by his university to allow him to relocate his laboratory and staff.
The findings by the University of New South Wales are the latest turn in a saga that began in 2001 when the internationally renowned researcher into transplant rejection was said by three junior colleagues to have committed scientific fraud.
An initial inquiry held by the university had cleared Professor Hall of wrongdoing, but an independent inquiry headed by a former chief justice found that he had lied in a research grant application and had shown a "reckless disregard for the truth."
The university's vice chancellor, Rory Hume, found that although Professor Hall had committed five acts of academic misconduct they were unintentional and were the result of a middle ear infection, workplace stress, and a stolen laptop computer, which led to errors rather than misconduct.
"My findings were sufficiently serious to warrant action, namely censure, in two cases," the vice chancellor said. "None of my findings however struck at the heart of Professor Hall's science, or questioned validity... and none warranted consideration of dismissal."
Professor Hall, who has already lost funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council and faces an investigation by the federal police as a result of the allegations, said he would contest the censures and the proposal to move his laboratory.
"I knew two and a half years I didn't do anything wrong. I have never deceived anyone in my life," he said.
Professor Hume said the decision was the most difficult he had faced in 37 years as an academic. Because of the inherent complexity of the case he called for a new national tribunal to examine allegations of scientific misconduct.
Dr Chen, one of the researchers at Sydney's Liverpool Hospital who made the allegations, said the university was more concerned with protecting its reputation than finding the truth.(Christopher Zinn)
The leading Sydney specialist in immunology, Bruce Hall, who was accused of scientific misconduct, will escape any punishment after a controversial decision by his university to allow him to relocate his laboratory and staff.
The findings by the University of New South Wales are the latest turn in a saga that began in 2001 when the internationally renowned researcher into transplant rejection was said by three junior colleagues to have committed scientific fraud.
An initial inquiry held by the university had cleared Professor Hall of wrongdoing, but an independent inquiry headed by a former chief justice found that he had lied in a research grant application and had shown a "reckless disregard for the truth."
The university's vice chancellor, Rory Hume, found that although Professor Hall had committed five acts of academic misconduct they were unintentional and were the result of a middle ear infection, workplace stress, and a stolen laptop computer, which led to errors rather than misconduct.
"My findings were sufficiently serious to warrant action, namely censure, in two cases," the vice chancellor said. "None of my findings however struck at the heart of Professor Hall's science, or questioned validity... and none warranted consideration of dismissal."
Professor Hall, who has already lost funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council and faces an investigation by the federal police as a result of the allegations, said he would contest the censures and the proposal to move his laboratory.
"I knew two and a half years I didn't do anything wrong. I have never deceived anyone in my life," he said.
Professor Hume said the decision was the most difficult he had faced in 37 years as an academic. Because of the inherent complexity of the case he called for a new national tribunal to examine allegations of scientific misconduct.
Dr Chen, one of the researchers at Sydney's Liverpool Hospital who made the allegations, said the university was more concerned with protecting its reputation than finding the truth.(Christopher Zinn)