National Cancer Institute says it’s not funding study that asked West Philly residents for fecal samples

Some West Philadelphia residents were puzzled last weekend when they received a letter asking for fecal samples for what appeared to be a federally funded Temple University study into whether gentrification could increase the risk of colorectal cancer.

Now, even more questions have emerged.

Not only has Temple disavowed the unauthorized study, which had been headed by Ang Sun, an assistant professor of biology and anti-gentrification activist, but the National Cancer Institute said this week that it has no record of funding any such research.

» READ MORE: ‘Fecal samples’: The next frontier in fighting West Philly gentrification?

West Philly United Neighbors, the registered community organization where Sun is president, had initially said on its website that it was working with a “group of biomedical researchers from Temple University who are funded by the National Cancer [Institute] investigating the bad germs associated with irresponsible development in West Philly.”

The group is opposing development of a four-story apartment on a dog park at 48th Street and Chester Avenue, saying that careless demolition, excavation, and construction can expose residents to carcinogens as well as change one’s gut microbes to increase the number of germs associated with colorectal cancer.

References to Temple and NCI were removed from West Philly United Neighbors’ website on Monday around the time The Inquirer article was posted online. Later, any mention of collecting fecal samples for research disappeared.

“The National Cancer Institute (NCI) cannot confirm any NCI funded grants for Dr. Ang Sun either from NCI or from the Fox Chase Cancer Center, which is the NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center affiliated with Temple University,” the institute said in a statement. “There is no grant history under this name in available records.”

Sun did not respond to follow-up requests for comment on the research, which involved students who work in Sun’s lab, according to names listed on the flier and information on their LinkedIn profiles. Temple students have been canvassing neighborhoods in West Philadelphia since the fall to gather participants for the study.

Temple spokesperson Raymond Betzner said in a statement Thursday that the university is still looking into the issue.

“Fortunately, as far as we can tell, other than the distribution of the flier, no research has actually been conducted as he described,” Betzner said of Sun, a non-tenure track, research assistant professor of biology in the College of Science and Technology.

“As we said earlier, there has been no research proposal from Asst. Prof Sun submitted to the university for required review,” Betzner said. “As a result, the research characterized by Asst. Prof Sun has not been vetted by the university’s research compliance structure.”

Ian Zolitor, who lives in West Philadelphia’s Powelton section, said he was approached by two college students several months ago asking for stool samples. He heard them out, then asked them a few questions to ensure he understood their request.

“You’re literally asking me right here for my feces? Is that what you’re asking me for? And they’re like, ‘Well, yeah,’” Zolitor recalled. He said he is against irresponsible development, but ultimately told them: “I want to help, but I’m gonna pass.”

Zolitor, a radio-show host, said reading this week’s news coverage of the rogue research — and the fact that Temple and NCI had never even heard of it — raised some disturbing questions. Mainly, what if he had decided to participate?

If there is no study, Zolitor asked, “what the hell were they going to do with my feces?”