Dr. John L. Ho, a 48 year old Associate Professor of Medicine and Microbiology at the Joan and Sanford Weill Medical College and Graduate School of Medical Science of Cornell University, one of the largest immunology and Aids-related research labs in New York and a recipient of more than US$2 million in federal money, is being investigated by officials after allegations by fellow members of his lab. Charges include ordering the falsification of data in research grant applications, knowingly using false claims to obtain a federal grant of US$1.5 million, publishing a paper based on falsified experiments and threatening or punishing lab staff who discovered the damaging evidence.

According to lab members, questions about the integrity of Ho’s research had already surfaced during the last 19 months. The inquiry has found that some, but not yet all of the allegations have been supported by other people. Ho - viewed by his peers as an up and coming immunologist -sits on a variety of national research peer review committees and is involved in major federally funded Aids research. The scientific community is concerned that the incentives to commit scientific fraud have intensified as competition has increased among researchers to win grant money and publish findings. Chris Pascal, acting director of the US Federal Office of Research Integrity, says that allegations as serious as those raised in this case are rare: out of the about 40 investigations annually among the 3,000 institutions receiving federal  research grants, 15 findings of misconduct are identified each year. see New Scientist, 11 July 1998