Daijiworld Media Network - Houston

Houston, Aug 27: A Chinese medical researcher has been accused of stealing sensitive, US-funded cancer research and attempting to take it back to China. The suspect, 35-year-old Dr Yunhai Li, was detained at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston on July 9, officials said.

According to the Harris County District Attorney's Office, border agents discovered confidential medical data on his laptop during a security inspection before he boarded his flight.

Li, a former researcher at MD Anderson Cancer Centre, has been charged with Theft of Trade Secrets, a third-degree felony punishable with two to ten years in prison and fines up to $10,000. He also faces a misdemeanor charge of Tampering with a Government Record, which carries a penalty of up to one year in jail and fines of $4,000.

Authorities revealed that Li, who joined MD Anderson in 2022, was part of a team developing a breast cancer vaccine. He resigned on July 1 and allegedly transferred the nearly completed research to a server in China. Federal charges may also be filed for smuggling protected research material.

“Houston is proudly home to some of the most groundbreaking medical institutions in the world — publicly funded centers that save lives through innovative research,” District Attorney Sean Terre said in a statement. “We have zero tolerance for any attempts that undermine our nation’s ability to pioneer critical medical breakthroughs.”