January 21, 2016
Italian GMO research under spotlight for alleged data manipulation
Research papers- that claimed adverse effects to animals fed with products from genetically modified (GM) crops, and were previously referenced in an Italian Senate hearing- have been placed under investigation for alleged data manipulation, Nature reported.
Federico Infascelli, the head of a laboratory at Italy''s University of Naples- where the study was conducted - denied the charge that images in the papers may have deliberately altered. He had also engaged an expert to verify the authenticity of research findings.
Nevertheless, one of the research papers had been retracted due to "self-plagiarism".
Italian senator, Elena Cattaneo, highlighted the importance of the ongoing case as the research has been used to debate whether Italy should permit GMcultivations that pass safety requirements. It was also cited on websites opposed to GMOs.
Cattaneo, who is also a neuroscientist at the University of Milan, scrutinised the research papers that detailed experiments on goat kids born to animals which are fed on GM soybean meal. It was supposedly discovered that fragments of an alien gene in the soybean can be transported across the gut and secreted in milk. These elements had an effect on the biology of suckling kids, the study stated.
However, upon closer examination, Catteneo said that images of electrophoresis gel showed signs of imagery manipulation. Her claim had been supported by the analytic work of BioDigitalValley based in Aosta, Italy.
Other than Cattaneo, Wayne Parrott, a plant geneticist at the University of Georgia in Athens also voiced his reservations about Infascelli''s research.
Catteneo''s findings were then submitted to the University of Naples, leading to an investigation started by Gaetano Manfredi, the university rector.
The university will announce responsive actions by the end of February, Manfredi said.