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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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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.9 Z+ V, j( i& t. F$ w3 ]
7 ~& k2 {; V- N% c$ h3 jThe same victim, a girl under the age of 16, is listed in both cases.1 M( s' k9 o; J& r3 _2 y4 @
6 D8 P* u5 Q' f$ h$ |Both 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.
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" {8 a2 @9 g$ oWang, 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.* _% |9 F, Y# L5 A! ?/ H" W) W0 ~
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According 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.5 i6 B% \7 e, w6 T+ b M* f$ {# n
1 Y9 k% ~* }+ D+ c U. IAt 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.$ Z0 M3 [ H3 h# A
" i9 c4 N1 L% {! M/ n/ QHe 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.
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6 J* l T- n Q& D, jWang’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 $350,000. His research explored how overactivity in certain proteins that play an important role in cell growth can be linked to the development of skin and brain cancers.- K# h7 Q- I" K% ?; f1 ]" h
( Z. C7 v4 K3 @+ j' k2 MU of A spokesman Bryan Alary confirmed in an email that both Wang and Chen are university employees currently on leave.( u( t* Q' n! ?3 ?* M8 ]* i% ]
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The university considers cases where an employee is charged criminally on a case-by-case basis, Alary said.
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“Factors the university would take into account include whether there is a real or perceived connection between the charges and the person’s employment and whether the person’s presence on campus posed a real or perceived danger to the university or members of its community,” he said.
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, V( g* ?/ J/ l0 M, ?3 KBoth Chen and Wang made their first appearance in Edmonton court on Feb. 14 and were released on bail.: u" G# f( _) B+ y
3 N8 `/ {* Y$ w: CTheir next court appearance is scheduled for March 13.7 }) D4 F) A$ B2 @; V8 H
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