Prominent USC scientist goes on leave amid research misconduct allegations

A salient neuroscientist astatine USC is connected permission astir a twelvemonth aft allegations of probe misconduct formed uncertainty connected his published enactment and derailed trials for an experimental changeable treatment.

USC Keck School of Medicine Dean Carolyn Meltzer sent an email to module successful the section of physiology and neuroscience connected Oct. 22, disclosing that prof Berislav V. Zlokovic was connected permission “for an indefinite period.”

In the email, Meltzer said that prof Steve Kay would service arsenic acting manager of some the Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute and the section of physiology and neuroscience, positions that Zlokovic formerly held.

A spokesperson confirmed Zlokovic’s permission and Kay’s acting appointments connected Monday but declined to supply further details, citing confidentiality surrounding unit matters. Zlokovic didn’t instantly respond to requests for remark Monday.

Late past year, a radical of whistleblowers submitted a study to the National Institutes of Health questioning the integrity of Zlokovic’s research and the information of an experimental changeable attraction developed by ZZ Biotech, the institution helium co-founded.

The study identified allegedly doctored images and information successful 35 probe papers successful which Zlokovic was the sole communal author. It besides questioned findings successful the Phase II objective trials of 3K3A-APC, a cause intended to trim post-stroke encephalon bleeds.

The whistleblowers’ findings and quality of Zlokovic’s permission were first reported successful the diary Science.

On Sept. 26, Houston-based ZZ Biotech officially canceled 3K3A-APC’s objective trial, according to a notice of withdrawal filed connected the government’s database of objective probe studies.

“Any decisions connected the aboriginal improvement pathway of 3K3A-APC successful changeable volition request to hold until the investigations of Dr. Zlokovic are complete,” ZZ Biotech Chief Executive Kent Pryor said Monday. Zlokovic nary longer has immoderate managerial oregon technological affiliation with the institution but remains a number equity holder arsenic co-founder, Pryor said.

NIH paused the proceedings successful November 2023. It besides launched an probe into Zlokovic and instructed USC to instrumentality $1.9 cardinal successful backing already supplied for the study, Science reported.

“USC has been cooperating afloat with the National Institutes of Health successful this matter,” a spokesperson said successful effect to questions astir the trial’s funding. “Now that the survey has ended, we volition beryllium submitting a last fiscal study to the NIH.”

Zlokovic is simply a starring researcher connected the blood-brain barrier, with peculiar involvement successful its relation successful changeable and dementia. After joining the USC module successful 1989, helium near and spent 11 years astatine the University of Rochester earlier returning to USC successful 2011. He was appointed manager of USC’s Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute the pursuing year.

He retained his section seat and institute manager titles arsenic USC launched an probe aft the whistleblower report.

Since the allegations became public, 3 of Zlokovic’s hundreds of published probe papers person been retracted. Eight much person been issued corrections oregon expressions of concern, a enactment journals append to articles erstwhile they judge determination whitethorn beryllium a occupation with a insubstantial but person not proved so.

Dr. Matthew Schrag, an adjunct prof of neurology astatine Vanderbilt who co-authored the whistleblower study independently of his enactment astatine the university, antecedently told The Times that helium and his colleagues did not find grounds of manipulated information successful the cause trial. But fixed the grade of interest surrounding Zlokovic’s earlier work, helium said, a objective proceedings relying connected his probe to dainty patients successful life-threatening situations deserved further scrutiny.

“When you’re seeing a reddish emblem oregon a inclination successful the objective trial, I would thin to springiness that much value successful the mounting of superior ethical concerns astir the pre-clinical data,” Schrag said this year. Schrag didn’t instantly respond to requests for remark Monday.