Following an investigation launched by Cornell University, a committee recommended pulling several papers by lung-disease researcher Augustine M. K. Choi, who served as dean of Weill Cornell Medicine until this year, Retraction Watch has learned.
Choi’s latest retraction, which brings him up to three so far, came on March 15, when The Journal of Clinical Investigation pulled “UCP2-induced fatty acid synthase promotes NLRP3 inflammasome activation during sepsis.” The paper has been cited 178 times, according to Clarivate’s Web of Science.
The retraction notice reads:
Cornell University, Harvard Medical School, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital jointly notified the JCI that Figures 3A, 4D, 7B, and 8B and Supplemental Figures 4 and 7A are not reliable. In accordance with the institutional recommendations, the JCI is retracting this article.
Choi served as dean of Weill Cornell Medicine and provost of medical affairs at Cornell University from 2017 to 2022. He has been a professor of both medicine and genetic medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College since 2014.
As we reported earlier, Choi had a paper retracted and then republished in 2015. Five years later, in 2020, he lost another article “due to inclusion of data that were published previously … and represent different results.” That same year, commenters on PubPeer started flagging potential image problems in several of Choi’s other publications.
Following the latest retraction, we reached out to Cornell, Harvard, and Brigham and Women’s for comment on the recommendations the notice refers to. No one from Harvard replied and a spokesperson from Brigham and Women’s declined to comment, deferring to Cornell. Joel M. Malina, Cornell University vice president for university relations, told us:
In 2020, Cornell learned of data integrity inquiries involving research published out of Dr. Choi’s laboratory. Cornell launched an independent investigation at that time, conducted by a committee of preeminent scientists from outside of Cornell and led by external counsel, which resulted in a detailed analysis of a number of publications and a thorough review of lab practices. The final report found that Dr. Choi did not commit research misconduct. The report made recommendations for retraction of several papers because certain figures were not reliable and, given the absence of original data, the scientific record could not be corrected. Retraction is consistent with academic norms in such circumstances.
Malina did not directly say whether Choi’s leaving of his dean and provost positions was influenced by the investigation, but he said that Choi ultimately chose not to seek another term in these positions. Malina also highlighted the contributions Choi has made to Cornell, including his leadership during the pandemic and establishing a debt-free tuition plan for medical students.
Choi did not respond to an email from Retraction Watch.
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I imagine that if Cornell were to admit scientific misconduct it would have to pay grant money back.
It’s not about preeminence, but about the data. That’s what Cornell University, Harvard Medical School, and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital have jointly decided. Take the issue up with them if you like
Dr. Augustine M. K. Choi is an extraordinary physician-scientist and has dramatically contributed to the pulmonology field. Dr. Choi also received the Ho-Am Prize, a prestigious quasi-Nobel Prize in South Korea. I hope he’ll continue to conduct creative and outstanding research.
Yes. I don’t understand why detractors criticize this preeminent scientist. I wonder if this is an anti-Asian activity against Dr. Choi.
Interesting how this replied comment was almost exactly 24 hours after the previous comment. Definitely suspicious…
I think its more anti-fraud activity from frustrated honest scientists than anti-asian activity.
From the Cornell statement: “The final report found that Dr. Choi did not commit research misconduct. The report made recommendations for retraction of several papers because certain figures were not reliable and, given the absence of original data, the scientific record could not be corrected.”
This is a miserable end-state for an investigation. How did several papers come to have unreliable figures? Are they implying that research misconduct was committed by a person or persons unknown? That it was a series of mistakes with no one to blame? (Isn’t a lab culture which produces three papers with unreliable data a problem in itself?)
It’s a 2015 paper so I guess the absence of original data is understandable. But I am very disappointed that Cornell would just stop investigating with so many questions unresolved. It’s not even fair to Dr. Chen, if he is in fact innocent of research misconduct; that would require an exonerating explanation for why three of his papers are wrong. With no explanation questions must persist.
Then again, this is the same institution that employed Brian Wansink.
RW, is it feasible for you to put in a FOIA request for Cornell’s report?
Cornell is a private institution and not subject to public records request laws.
Ah, right. I had forgotten that.
Of course, if they actually cared about integrity, they would voluntarily share such documents regardless.
Perhaps, Dr. Augustine Choi is actually innocent and clean. This is truly miserable situation.
“pulling several papers”.
2 papers would be a couple, not several,
3, or 4, would be described as a few.
Several suggests 5,6,7..
12, a dozen.
If the number got to 20, that would be a score.
4th retraction for Augustine M Choi.
https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/10.1165/rcmb.6804Retraction
It is nothing to do with Dr. Choi as the committee finds no wrongdoing. The issue here is that the RW finds a big fish in a small tank as most of the RW articles are not much useful and from foreign countries.
Dr. Choi (or fan), fittingly, you commented on April 1.
Think about the incentives of the committee:
How many millions of dollars of grant money could be at risk if Cornell or the “independent” committee identify the problems as “wrongdoing?” One recent grant alone was for $61 million.
How much litigation might occur because of a finding of “wrongdoing?”
On the other hand, if the committee merely decides to help correct the scientific record, they, and Cornell, look like they are doing the “right thing,” especially given the recent departure of Dr. Choi.
One does not need to be cynical to believe that the system here is doing its best to go on with business as usual without causing too many waves. If Dr. Choi feels he has been falsely accused, or that the investigation was flawed, no doubt we will see litigation.
But, the impressive body of evidence that Dr. Choi perhaps has a flexible view of research ethics is available to anyone who wants to look: https://pubpeer.com/search?q=augustine+choi
This article is about the U.S.A., not about a foreign country as Retraction Watch is based in the U.S.A.. What is wrong with retraction Watch reporting on retractions from around the world anyway?
Retraction Watch reported on Augustine MK Choi because some of his papers have been Retracted.
More about Dr. Choi’s discoveries.
https://forbetterscience.com/2020/08/24/o-du-lieber-augustine-mk-choi/
As investigated by Cornell, Dr. Choi seems innocent of these potential misconduct issues.
Your detailed point-by-point refutation is quite convincing.
Seriously, why does every article involving a Korean scientist get clogged up with these sorts of comments?
How about Augustine Choi’s paper coauthored with Piero Anversa and Joseph Loscalzo? There is no c-kit-positive human lung stem cell.
Piero Anversa , Mark A. Perrella , Stella Kourembanas , Augustine M. K. Choi , Joseph Loscalzo (2012). Regenerative pulmonary medicine: potential and promise, pitfalls and challenges. European Journal of Clinical Investigation, 42(8), 900–913.
https://pubpeer.com/publications/B2A5AC4537716AA3D0C00A6CBF0FB3
Joseph Loscalzo is innocent. Do not accuse him without reason.
“A Brigham representative declined to give any details about the ongoing review. Robertson said that, based on Harvard’s letter, she has no concerns about Loscalzo’s role in the paper and that he recused himself from both the review process and the retraction.”
https://www.forbes.com/sites/larryhusten/2014/04/08/circulation-retracts-paper-by-stem-cell-pioneer-and-its-own-editor/
2023 Retraction Augustine MK Choi, amongst others.
https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/bcb-2023-0089
https://pubpeer.com/publications/05B1BA2E2B91797B7DE328269005CC#2
Curious about the whistleblowers who report Dr. Choi. Those whistleblowers ruined the career of one prominent researcher.
Who is that?
8 retractions and an expression of concern.
http://retractiondatabase.org/RetractionSearch.aspx#?auth%3dChoi%252c%2bAugustine%2bM%2bK
6th retraction for Augustine MK Choi.
https://medgasres.com/article.asp?issn=2045-9912;year=2023;volume=13;issue=4;spage=180;epage=180;aulast=
Medical Gas Research
RETRACTION
Year : 2023 | Volume : 13 | Issue : 4 | Page : 180
Retraction: Carbon monoxide inhibits Fas activating antibody-induced apoptosis in endothelial cells
Date of Web Publication 15-Apr-2023
DOI: 10.4103/2045-9912.374045
After the publication of the article entitled “Carbon monoxide inhibits Fas activating antibody-induced apoptosis in endothelial cells”,[1] post-publication review on PubPeer (https://pubpeer.com/publications/5D177133C7098B90006 FDC2375F160) alerted the editors to partial duplication of Figures 1B, 2B, 3B, and 4.
Medical Gas Research investigated these findings. The original uncropped image files are no longer available from the authors. The data and information provided by the authors have not fully resolved the concerns. The article has been retracted by agreement between the corresponding author, Stefan W Ryter, and the editorial board. This retraction is consistent with the publishing policy of Medical Gas Research.
[original article URL: https://medicalgasresearch.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/2045-9912-1-8%5D
Medical Gas Research
References
Top
1.
Wang X, Wang Y, Lee SJ, Kim HP, Choi AM, Ryter SW. Carbon monoxide inhibits Fas activating antibody-induced apoptosis in endothelial cells. Med Gas Res. 2011;1:8. Back to cited text no. 1
27 June 2023 retraction for Augustine MK Choi.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112639
Cell Reports
Volume 42, Issue 6, 27 June 2023, 112639
Retraction
Retraction Notice to: mTORC1-Induced HK1-Dependent Glycolysis Regulates NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation
Jong-Seok Moon, Shu Hisata, Mi-Ae Park, Gina M. DeNicola, Stefan W. Ryter, Kiichi Nakahira, Augustine M.K. Choi
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112639
RETRACTED: mTORC1-Induced HK1-Dependent Glycolysis Regulates NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation
Cell Reports, Volume 12, Issue 1, 7 July 2015, Pages 102-115
Jong-Seok Moon, Shu Hisata, Mi-Ae Park, Gina M. DeNicola, Stefan W. Ryter, Kiichi Nakahira, Augustine M.K. Choi
(Cell Reports 12, 102–115; July 7, 2015)
This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy).
This article has been retracted at the request of the editors of Cell Reports following the recommendation of the research integrity officers for Cornell University, Harvard Medical School, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, who conducted an investigation and concluded that in several instances, image panels were duplicated, images were spliced, and previously published images reused. Under the circumstances, the journal feels the most responsible course of action is to retract the paper. All of the authors have agreed to this
1st July retraction for Augustine MK Choi.
https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1165/rcmb.691Retraction
https://pubpeer.com/publications/6C1C156836124E49A82EC3CEBE02B9#7
Augustine Choi is now working with Yonsei University researchers.
Cho, H. J., Chung, Y. W., Moon, S., Seo, J. H., Kang, M., Nam, J. S., Lee, S. N., Kim, C. H., Choi, A. M. K., & Yoon, J. H. (2023). IL-4 drastically decreases deuterosomal and multiciliated cells via alteration in progenitor cell differentiation. Allergy, 78(7), 1866–1877. https://doi.org/10.1111/all.15705
Lee, S. N., Yoon, S. A., Song, J. M., Kim, H. C., Cho, H. J., Choi, A. M. K., & Yoon, J. H. (2022). Cell-Type-Specific Expression of Hyaluronan Synthases HAS2 and HAS3 Promotes Goblet Cell Hyperplasia in Allergic Airway Inflammation. American journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology, 67(3), 360–374. https://doi.org/10.1165/rcmb.2021-0527OC
That’s excellent news. Good for Augustine MK Choi, and good for Yonsei University. It couldn’t be better for all involved.
24 November 2023 retraction of 2016 Augustine MK Choi Nature Medicine paper. Institutional investigation, disagreement about retraction.
https://pubpeer.com/publications/6D8F79CC4FC5A159F4EDE0D46E8F9A#2
02 May 2024 retraction for Augustine MK Choi.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15548627.2024.2343270