Boston University Researcher Falsified Data in Published Papers

The only surprise here is the subject wasn't so-called global warming.

A cancer researcher and assistant professor at the Boston University School of Medicine Cancer Research Center fabricated data in two papers published in scientific journals, federal authorities announced.

Sheng Wang, an assistant professor whose research involved molecular biology approaches to understanding cancer, no longer works at BU. His employment at the university ended July 15, according to a spokeswoman, who said she could not comment on the terms on which he left.

Wang has agreed to retract the two papers and will not be eligible for or involved in federally funded research for two years, according to the finding of research misconduct issued Friday by the Office of Research Integrity of the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Not eligible for taxpayer funds for two years? Well, that's a really harsh punishment.

The folks are BU are being very tight-lipped. So much for transparency when government funding is concerned.

Information on how the misconduct came to light and how long Wang had worked at BU was not available.

“Because this is a personnel matter, we cannot provide anything further,’’ spokeswoman Jenny Eriksen wrote in an e-mail. Wang’s lawyer did not return a phone call.