Skip to content
ADVERTISEMENT
Sign In
  • Sections
    • News
    • Advice
    • The Review
  • Topics
    • Data
    • Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
    • Finance & Operations
    • International
    • Leadership & Governance
    • Teaching & Learning
    • Scholarship & Research
    • Student Success
    • Technology
    • Transitions
    • The Workplace
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Special Issues
    • Podcast: College Matters from The Chronicle
  • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Virtual Events
    • Chronicle On-The-Road
    • Professional Development
  • Ask Chron
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Professional Development
    • Career Resources
    • Virtual Career Fair
  • More
  • Sections
    • News
    • Advice
    • The Review
  • Topics
    • Data
    • Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
    • Finance & Operations
    • International
    • Leadership & Governance
    • Teaching & Learning
    • Scholarship & Research
    • Student Success
    • Technology
    • Transitions
    • The Workplace
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Special Issues
    • Podcast: College Matters from The Chronicle
  • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Virtual Events
    • Chronicle On-The-Road
    • Professional Development
  • Ask Chron
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Professional Development
    • Career Resources
    • Virtual Career Fair
    Upcoming Events:
    College Advising
    Serving Higher Ed
    Chronicle Festival 2025
Sign In
Misconduct

U. of North Carolina’s Head of Research Cited for Research Misconduct

By Sahalie Donaldson March 8, 2022
Terry Magnuson in the Genetic Medicine Building on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill February 17, 2016.
Terry MagnusonJon Gardiner, UNC-Chapel Hill

The vice chancellor for research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill engaged in research misconduct when he plagiarized in his application for a federal grant for cancer research, according to a recent report from the federal Office of Research Integrity.

In its findings published Tuesday, the office said Terry Magnuson, also a professor of genetics, “knowingly, intentionally, or recklessly” plagiarized from three online articles and one published paper in his grant application to the National Cancer Institute and the National Institutes of Health last March.

To continue reading for FREE, please sign in.

Sign In

Or subscribe now to read with unlimited access for as low as $10/month.

Don’t have an account? Sign up now.

A free account provides you access to a limited number of free articles each month, plus newsletters, job postings, salary data, and exclusive store discounts.

Sign Up

The vice chancellor for research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill engaged in research misconduct when he plagiarized in his application for a federal grant for cancer research, according to a recent report from the federal Office of Research Integrity.

In its findings published Tuesday, the office said Terry Magnuson, also a professor of genetics, “knowingly, intentionally, or recklessly” plagiarized from three online articles and one published paper in his grant application to the National Cancer Institute and the National Institutes of Health last March.

The Office of Research Integrity, which is housed within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is a federal watchdog agency tasked with detecting and punishing the misconduct of scientists who conduct research funded by several federal departments, such as the NIH. The office defines research misconduct as “fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism in proposing, performing, or reviewing research, or in reporting research results.”

Magnuson, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment, is the founding chair of the UNC-Chapel Hill Department of Genetics. He was appointed the university’s vice chancellor for research in 2016 and then reappointed in April 2021 following administrative review. He oversees the campus’s $1-billion research program, including supporting research faculty, staff, trainees, and students, and maintaining regulatory compliance.

Magnuson entered into a voluntarily settlement agreement, consenting to have his research supervised from February 25, 2022, to January 5, 2024. During this period, Magnuson will be subject to additional oversight and will need to receive office approval before engaging in research supported by Public Health Service funding. His proposals also must be submitted first to the vice dean of UNC’s School of Medicine “to check for plagiarism and ensure compliance with acceptable scientific practice for citation of prior work.”

A university spokesperson said in an emailed statement that the institution maintains high expectations for the integrity of research activities conducted by faculty and staff members and students.

“The university follows a federally mandated policy regarding research misconduct, and we hold anyone involved in research activity at the university to that standard,” Beth Keith, associate vice chancellor for university communications, said in the statement. “We will continue to follow the standards and processes set forth by the Office of Research Integrity and our research sponsors.”

Dan Bauman contributed to this report.

We welcome your thoughts and questions about this article. Please email the editors or submit a letter for publication.
Tags
Scholarship & Research
Share
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Email
About the Author
Sahalie Donaldson
Sahalie Donaldson was a reporting intern at The Chronicle.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

More News

Protesters attend a demonstration in support of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, March 10, 2025, in New York.
First-Amendment Rights
Noncitizen Professors Testify About Chilling Effect of Others’ Detentions
Photo-based illustration of a rock preciously suspended by a rope over three beakers.
Broken Promise
U.S. Policy Made America’s Research Engine the Envy of the World. One President Could End That.
lab-costs-promo.jpg
Research Expenses
What Does It Cost to Run a Lab?
Research illustration Microscope
Dreams Deferred
How Trump’s Cuts to Science Funding Are Derailing Young Scholars’ Careers

From The Review

University of Virginia President Jim Ryan keeps his emotions in check during a news conference, Monday, Nov. 14, 2022 in Charlottesville. Va. Authorities say three people have been killed and two others were wounded in a shooting at the University of Virginia and a student is in custody. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
The Review | Opinion
Jim Ryan’s Resignation Is a Warning
By Robert Zaretsky
Photo-based illustration depicting a close-up image of a mouth of a young woman with the letter A over the lips and grades in the background
The Review | Opinion
When Students Want You to Change Their Grades
By James K. Beggan
Photo-based illustration of a student and a professor, each occupying a red circle in a landscape of scribbles.
The Review | Opinion
Meet Students Where They Are? Maybe Not.
By Mark Horowitz

Upcoming Events

Chronfest25_Virtual-Events_Page_862x574.png
Chronicle Festival: Innovation Amid Uncertainty
07-16-Advising-InsideTrack - forum assets v1_Plain.png
The Evolving Work of College Advising
Lead With Insight
  • Explore Content
    • Latest News
    • Newsletters
    • Letters
    • Free Reports and Guides
    • Professional Development
    • Events
    • Chronicle Store
    • Chronicle Intelligence
    • Jobs in Higher Education
    • Post a Job
  • Know The Chronicle
    • About Us
    • Vision, Mission, Values
    • DEI at The Chronicle
    • Write for Us
    • Work at The Chronicle
    • Our Reporting Process
    • Advertise With Us
    • Brand Studio
    • Accessibility Statement
  • Account and Access
    • Manage Your Account
    • Manage Newsletters
    • Individual Subscriptions
    • Group and Institutional Access
    • Subscription & Account FAQ
  • Get Support
    • Contact Us
    • Reprints & Permissions
    • User Agreement
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Policy
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037
© 2025 The Chronicle of Higher Education
The Chronicle of Higher Education is academe’s most trusted resource for independent journalism, career development, and forward-looking intelligence. Our readers lead, teach, learn, and innovate with insights from The Chronicle.
Follow Us
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • youtube
  • facebook
  • linkedin