BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WISH) – An unspecified U.S. Department of Agriculture activity has shut down access to several labs and offices at the Indiana University Bloomington biology department without any explanation given to students or staff.
Six rooms in Myers Hall are currently closed, according to a letter from IU Vice President for Research Russ Mumper.
“The university remains deeply committed to academic freedom, responsible research, and supporting the faculty, staff, and students who carry out that work,” Mumper wrote. “The actions taking place are being directed by federal authorities, and the university is cooperating as required.”
A person within the biology department tells I-Team’s Tim Spears the USDA contacted the university’s legal office on Thursday, asking to secure the rooms pending a visit by federal authorities. They said someone has changed the locks on the doors.
At least one of the rooms closed off includes the lab of Professor Roger Innes, who oversaw the research of a Chinese national recently investigated by the FBI. That researcher, Youhuang Xiang, pleaded guilty to smuggling E. coli DNA from China to the United States in a package labeled as women’s underwear.
The FBI described Xiang as a “domestic threat”, despite admitting the smuggled materials didn’t pose a public health risk. Special Agent in Charge at the FBI Indianapolis field office, Timothy O’Malley, told I-Team that investigators believed Xiang’s actions may have been part of a plot to steal US research or technology on behalf of the Chinese government.
Innes told I-Team that mislabeled lab shipments from China to the US isn’t uncommon because of the contentious political relationship between the two countries. He believes Xiang’s arrest was “100% politically motivated.” The Consulate General of China in Chicago urged the US “to stop any selective and discriminatory law enforcement targeting Chinese scholars and students in the United States.”
Federal authorities have made focused enforcement efforts involving Chinese students in recent years, with at least five Chinese nationals at the University of Michigan charged in smuggling investigations.
It’s not clear whether this latest action involving the IU biology department is tied to Xiang’s charges.
The FBI referred I-Team to Indiana University regarding the lab closures and previously said the biology department wasn’t under further suspicion. Inquiries to the USDA have gone unanswered as of publication.
Mumper’s letter didn’t offer any details on a possible investigation beyond saying USDA “will be engaging in activity in a laboratory associated with the biology department.” At least one of the rooms closed off includes offices for Department of Biology faculty members, according to IU’s website.
“We recognize the significant disruption this has caused for the department and your research, and are committed to minimizing any inconvenience,” Mumper wrote. “We sincerely appreciate your patience and professionalism as we work as quickly as humanly possible to resolve the situation and minimize further disruption.”
Mumper said the university will inform faculty and staff once they can return to the rooms being closed.
Letter to IU biology department, provided by Indiana University
Colleagues,
We have been notified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that they will be engaging in activity in a laboratory associated with the biology department. Rooms 302, 319, 309, 315, 316, and 062 in Myers Hall will be closed while that activity is underway.
The university remains deeply committed to academic freedom, responsible research, and supporting the faculty, staff, and students who carry out that work. The actions taking place are being directed by federal authorities, and the university is cooperating as required.
We recognize the significant disruption this has caused for the department and your research, and are committed to minimizing any inconvenience. We sincerely appreciate your patience and professionalism as we work as quickly as humanly possible to resolve the situation and minimize further disruption.
We will communicate further information once faculty and staff may return to the identified laboratory and associated spaces.
We continue to expect all members of our community to follow university policy and applicable state and federal laws in the conduct of research.
Russ Mumper
Vice President for Research
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