A California jury has found Chinese born-researcher Bin Han not guilty of stealing research materials from a University of California at Davis (UC Davis) laboratory. The high-profile case has highlighted concerns that academic and legal authorities racially profile scientists of Asian descent as being more likely to steal from research laboratories. On May 17, twenty vials of UC Davis serum protein and an open-ended ticket to China were found in Han's home, leading to his arrest on three felony counts. But the charges were reduced on July 16 to a single misdemeanor charge of petty theft and embezzlement after the materials in question were shown to be worth less than $400 and readily available in China; a jury eventually acquitted him on August 19. The case prompted multiple protests about racial harassment, and California Assemblymember Judy Chu issued a letter stating "Cases such as [that of]...Dr. Han further perpetuate the misconception that Asian Americans cannot be trusted, are not loyal to the United States, and pose flight risks, simply for being of Asian heritage." Meanwhile, Chinese-born Jiangyu Zhu and his Japanese wife Koyoko Kimbara, two researchers who are awaiting trial for allegedly stealing research materials from Harvard University (Cambridge, MA), have been allowed to return to their respective laboratories at UC San Diego and the Scripps Research Institute (La Jolla, CA) after internal reviews cleared them of any wrongdoing there. (By Aaron Bouchie; supplied by Guy M. Wong)