Liping Zhang, a former assistant professor in the school’s nephrology section, “engaged in research misconduct in research supported by U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) funds,” according to a notice published in the Federal Register on March 19, 2025.
ORI based its findings on a Baylor College of Medicine investigation as well as evidence gathered during its oversight review, the notice states: "ORI found by a preponderance of the evidence that Respondent intentionally and knowingly falsified and/or fabricated western blot images and microscopy images by manipulating the images, using unrelated images, or reusing and relabeling the same images to represent falsely different experimental results in three (3) PHS-supported unpublished manuscripts submitted for publication and four (4) grant applications submitted for PHS funds. ORI found that these acts constitute a significant departure from accepted practices of the relevant research community."
ORI proposed a two-year debarment from federal funding as well as a two-year ban on serving "in any advisory capacity to PHS", which includes serving on grant review committees. Zhang did not contest the proposed penalties, the notice states, so they went into effect on January 16, 2025.
