Letter to a Gore, Subject: Request to Expedite the Transfer of Research Data from Oak Ridge to T F Mancuso, University of Pittsburgh

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University of Pittsburgh Officeof the Senior Vice Chancellor September 17, 1981 The Honorable Albert Gore, Jr. Oversight and Investigation House Science and Technology Committee 819 House Office Building Dear Congressman Gore: The University of Pittsburgh with Dr. Thomas F. Mancuso as principal investigator had a research contract with t h e Division of Biology and Medicine of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and Its successor, the Department of Energy (DOE). The contract was DE-AL-02-76EV03428,formerly, EY76-S-02-3428. The research terminated in July 1977. However, the research contract remains open between the University of Pittsburgh The research conducted by Dr. Thomas F. Mulcuso from 1964 to 1977 was to evaluate and develop all the necessary data for AEC facilities throughout the country for ’ subsequent analysis on the biological effects of radiation. The principal AEC faculities were at Oak Ridge Tennessee, (110,000 employees) and a tHq ford, Washington (35,000 During the years, Dr. Mancuso, as the principal investigator, established and maintained a University of Pittsburgh office and staff at Oak Ridge to compile the records and establish the necessary files. The records w e r e transmitted to the computer facility at Oak Ridge, which became the main computer storage of all the recorded data, the Oak Ridge data, the Hanford data, a n d all other data pertaining t o the other AEC facilities developed by Dr. Mancuso from 1964 through 1977. When the DOE terminated the research by Mancuso, the DOE divided the activity between the Oak Ridge Associated Universities, to undertake t h e Oak Ridge study; and 3atelle North W e s t of Washington for the Hanford study. Dr. Clarence Lausbaugh became t h e director of the Oak Ridge radiation study. The DOE had acknowledged that on the basis of the research contract; Dr. Thomas 1 Mancuso, as the principal investigator, from 1964 to 1977, is entitled to a copy of t h e records that w e r e developed in the course of the research. This is underscored bv the fact that the DOE has kept the research contract open with the University of Pittsburgh. .The University of-Pittsburgh, on behalf of Dr. Nancuso, has repeatedly r kues ted ’ that the copies of the research d a t a that m e r e developed by the University of Pittsburgh 1 staff and left at Oak Ridge be provided to Dr. Mancuso. These requests were made to t h e DOE in December 1979 and on November 24,1980, December 10,1980, February 18, 1981, April 9,1981 and May 19,1981. There has been no response to any of the requests. Dr. Clarence Lausbaugh transferred copies of the FIRST FLOOR, LPTHROP 6U,PI7TSBURGH. PA. 15281

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rtsemch data t o the University of North Carolina i n 19S0, but Dr. Kxancuso was not provided with a copy of his own data..- scientific riFht of the principal investigator t o his own data, which right was acknonrleclpxi by the DOE. W e ~3211appreciate your assistance in the matter of emediting the transfer of t h e research data from Oak Ridge to Dr. ?+tomas F. Mancuso at t h e University of Pittsburgh in keeping with the principles of scientific investigation throughout the country. Deputy Senior Vice Chancellor