Posted on 06/19/2002 8:02:22 PM PDT by WakeUpChristian
Two Charged with Stealing Genes From Harvard
Wed Jun 19, 5:54 PM ET
By Christopher Noble
BOSTON (Reuters) - In a case shining a spotlight on the high-stakes world of academic medical research, police arrested two foreign-born scientists on Wednesday and accused them of trying to use genetic materials allegedly stolen from a Harvard Medical School ( news - web sites) lab to make and sell drugs.
Chinese national Jiangyu Zhu and Kayoko Kimbara of Japan were taken into custody in San Diego and charged in a criminal complaint with conspiracy, theft of trade secrets and interstate transportation of stolen property, U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts Michael Sullivan said.
The two researchers, both permanent residents of the United States working as postdoctoral fellows, allegedly stole genes that showed promise for use in halting organ rejection in transplant patients, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Boston.
The complaint alleges Zhu, 30, and Kimbara, 32, took the materials, some of which are the subject of a patent application, when they quit Harvard for jobs at the University of Texas, even though they signed agreements forbidding them from doing so.
"Zhu and Kimbara took and conspired to take proprietary and highly marketable scientific information belonging to Harvard with them to Texas, with the intention of profiting from such information by collaborating with a Japanese company in the creation and sale of related and derivative products," the complaint read.
The two went so far as to mail several samples to the Japanese company, which produced antibodies for use in possible drugs and shipped them to Zhu in Texas, the complaint alleged.
The Japanese company was not named in the complaint. It cooperated with the investigation, which was continuing, the U.S. attorney said.
If convicted on all charges, the two face up to 25 years in prison and fines of up to $750,000. The two will be returned to Massachusetts to face the charges. Much of the allegedly stolen material has been returned to Harvard. The two were living in San Diego after leaving their jobs in Texas.
Harvard Medical School said it was cooperating with the investigation and referred questions to the U.S. attorney.
ISOLATED TWO GENES
Between 1997 and 1999, while working in the lab of Harvard cell biologist Dr. Frank McKeon, Zhu and Kimbara searched for immunosuppressive drugs that could help prevent the rejection of organ transplants. By early 1999, Zhu and Kimbara had isolated two genes with potential for treating diseases affecting the immune, cardiovascular and nervous systems.
About that time, the complaint alleges, Zhu and Kimbara began working overnight shifts without direct supervision from McKeon. In reviewing some of the results of their work, McKeon grew suspicious the two were hiding research.
"Dr. McKeon attempted to keep tabs on the work being performed by Zhu and Kimbara, but this was difficult given their unusual hours and their reluctance to have meaningful discussions with him," the complaint read.
McKeon confronted the two in late 1999 but they denied they were concealing any work from him and did not mention they intended to leave Harvard for the University of Texas, the complaint said. ,p.
Over the Christmas vacation in 1999, the two allegedly stole about 20 cartons from the Harvard lab and shipped them to Texas.
"Most of these boxes were removed in the very early morning hours or at night, in an apparent effort to effect the removal of the materials during odd hours over an extended holiday period," the complaint said.
Something is messed up here.
They should not be arrested by police for this.
Lawyers and patents etc...
It is not right that they were arrested given the circumstances.
Something is fishy. And not a good turn of events to arrest scientist you have a dsipute with over rights.
This will have chilling effects on acdemia and the biotech industry.
Not good at all to criminalize disputes.
1. I trust you addressed that remark at the nearest mirror;
2. I very well indeed "understand what this is about and;"
Have you suffered Psychopathological Projection Syndrome long -- or did you contract it for only this excercise?
Cordially -- B A
Or: why do you insist on coming only half armed to a battle of [Consistent] wits -- and [Consistently] measurable 180+ IQs?
Bzzzzzzzzzt! Wrong.
The operative word here is 'realistically'. Please read the current rulings over the last couple of decades involving Intellectual Rights over the patenting of genetic material.
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