 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.
; L+ F& _' ]' k" x5 D
' @8 r' c# v! l7 i9 xZhixiang 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.7 f% Q3 j* }) [6 e- v9 R8 P
' K0 O4 N0 O! aHis 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.0 N5 ^( u* i5 B9 u
8 u/ I/ A( l- q: _7 V- Y
The same victim, a girl under the age of 16, is listed in both cases.
0 q: V7 Q" f- S. l* I
5 e9 u0 d* r* ~$ U: [" [# QBoth 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.
0 x0 P1 ?9 S9 q8 r& S. @* C% |8 ]5 w/ Q3 y0 m7 l/ f
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.! f% g" d9 N* l G
& O+ T( H, F% ?% J1 p1 mAccording 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.# l- O$ F' o c9 c# F
# k8 h: R- L- |- e' m5 ]! z- O0 _) hAt 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.( Q2 i6 V9 o, C ]( d7 t
- Y8 i6 ^" G% x
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.+ b4 O' e5 ], F, a, [% _
1 P% G& j3 U$ \8 |+ xWang’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 $350,000. His research explored how overactivity in certain proteins that play an important role in cell growth can be linked to the development of skin and brain cancers./ J: T. t8 W% F- t( v
) {0 I, G g4 p u" WU of A spokesman Bryan Alary confirmed in an email that both Wang and Chen are university employees currently on leave.* B \: E | [
0 v. F) q1 _+ {/ P; y$ ]: D) bThe university considers cases where an employee is charged criminally on a case-by-case basis, Alary said.
9 b9 l+ G# C% j$ i7 F% y; N/ m" \2 Z
“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.; n& A* }" a" `' G( {3 R# r, ]
! ?2 @3 A7 M, V
Both Chen and Wang made their first appearance in Edmonton court on Feb. 14 and were released on bail.
: o. e8 G0 Q2 a, B& p. O/ F: s3 }% B" f" C. n) o2 M1 J
Their next court appearance is scheduled for March 13., J# d1 m' j) k6 @
. O+ A) Q5 `# ]0 I) n" u6 e |
|