MD Anderson ousting researchers after NIH flags threats of foreign influence

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center said it is ousting three tenured faculty members after investigations revealed they violated NIH and MD Anderson policies. NIH said it had notified MD Anderson about concerns of undue foreign influence on its biomedical research, citing specific individuals, and that the cancer center "took immediate steps to remediate the problem." MD Anderson said NIH had flagged threats to its data security and IP.

Two of the faculty members elected to resign shortly after the cancer center began termination proceedings while proceedings against the third are ongoing, MD Anderson said. The institute declined to disclose the faculty members’ names. MD Anderson also determined that termination was not warranted for a fourth scientist and is investigating a fifth...