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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.
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Zhixiang 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.
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5 c- C0 Q' Y2 H5 N, ?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.
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The same victim, a girl under the age of 16, is listed in both cases.
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6 {; K& d7 F) U+ x; |$ ?9 n, e$ W- v* o5 tBoth 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.) h$ q$ P7 y1 R( ]/ G3 s
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Wang, 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.
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) m3 n9 y3 U' u+ u4 e" }* ?( cAccording 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.) P- B. a) u3 c. c$ l3 H* h
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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.
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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.6 s1 i8 H | R6 s
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Wang’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 $350,000. His research explored how overactivity in certain proteins that play an important role in cell growth can be linked to the development of skin and brain cancers.+ w9 d( \2 H% T: q' j
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U of A spokesman Bryan Alary confirmed in an email that both Wang and Chen are university employees currently on leave.6 y9 k$ {4 C% N9 u6 P4 p
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The university considers cases where an employee is charged criminally on a case-by-case basis, Alary said.& Y8 F! {& R7 m) F/ I: v
$ ^9 o8 d0 f! U; F0 a0 ?6 l9 o“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.
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Both Chen and Wang made their first appearance in Edmonton court on Feb. 14 and were released on bail.
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$ N, f+ I+ j4 [7 ^7 BTheir next court appearance is scheduled for March 13./ |8 f( b! x2 O; }# Z
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