 鲜花( 3)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
A prominent University of Alberta researcher and his wife are facing charges related to the alleged sexual assault and confinement of a minor, the Journal has learned.# ~4 n% v8 B: r. W& S8 h% s/ ]
1 D3 C, \3 S6 F' v' n JZhixiang Wang, 51, is facing one count of sexual assault and one count of sexual contact with a child for offences allegedly carried out between Nov. 2009 and May 31, 2010, court records show.
6 E6 }% l/ _5 Q- h2 w! G) J" Y( w: E& N1 u
His wife, Xinmei Chen, 49, is charged with one count of unlawful confinement of a child between May 31, 2010 and Jan. 29, 2013, the records show.* e/ f6 K0 n4 @$ f
I, v* N6 K0 j' e) z! N8 o7 lThe same victim, a girl under the age of 16, is listed in both cases.
; |8 g, ^) B) i+ Z
) P6 z7 [' e( }# S+ E5 A- W, @, YBoth were arrested at Edmonton police headquarters and charged on Feb. 14, police spokesman Scott Pattison said in an email. There are no other potential victims, he added.% |8 F& w+ q6 x# l, }! _2 K
: i0 G- l* S" P4 x C+ Q) jWang, an associate professor in the university’s department of medical genetics, was named a senior heritage scholar in 2000 by the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research.+ s4 ^" z+ ]& ^/ f2 Q$ ` O
! C6 ~9 O2 |* F8 v+ ]: ]" IAccording to an article about Wang in the foundation’s fall 2003 issue, Wang joined the U of A in 1999. He had been studying cell biology of locusts, but according to the article, made the switch to medical-related research in 1994 while pursuing post-doctoral research at the University of Toronto.0 J+ E8 A; p1 g. L
) |7 `% k3 g% j
At the time, the article says, Wang’s research focused on a protein found in most body fluids that, in high levels, can lead to the development of breast cancer.- n' `6 ~0 K' D. a h& ?+ n
2 A6 M# E& \6 U% G" r3 J" `3 \
He has numerous academic publications to his name, including several authored with Chen, who is listed on the U of A website as a technician working in Wang’s lab.! J( H2 E( |6 i& v! W8 g
8 [' r, ^, T$ k( u5 C* uWang’s cancer research is considered among the most promising in Canada. In 2005, he was awarded a grant from the Canadian Cancer Society worth more than $350,000. His research explored how overactivity in certain proteins that play an important role in cell growth can be linked to the development of skin and brain cancers." j- i3 m. x; h) w' ?
" r% m* j; z" |, |
U of A spokesman Bryan Alary confirmed in an email that both Wang and Chen are university employees currently on leave.. K" x$ S' t6 U- H/ d
4 i$ x& r( K$ B! t
The university considers cases where an employee is charged criminally on a case-by-case basis, Alary said.
1 u0 y; s7 j% t' `5 F1 N, C& j2 c) F) A0 w9 l. Q& ?' e% I9 t
“Factors the university would take into account include whether there is a real or perceived connection between the charges and the person’s employment and whether the person’s presence on campus posed a real or perceived danger to the university or members of its community,” he said.1 f: O5 e$ k' i6 o) A# {% t- v
5 z. v: T+ \9 `+ O
Both Chen and Wang made their first appearance in Edmonton court on Feb. 14 and were released on bail.+ Y. x# J! s/ x3 u; U& L& \: H
3 q# n& \. z% ^) WTheir next court appearance is scheduled for March 13.$ k4 c/ X( R9 Q. U+ O( ^3 E
/ [4 d& d g% `9 i2 v |
|