The girl, given the pseudonym "Mei", died last year around a week after receiving a spinal infusion of trillions of viruses designed to penetrate the brain for treatment, according to a joint investigation by Science and Retraction Watch.
The experimental gene therapy was meant to fix a rare genetic condition that caused a delay in cognitive development, the report said on Thursday.
Neuroscientist Zilong Qiu, the lead researcher, went on to publish a paper on related animal studies in the prestigious journal Nature that made no mention of Mei.
In response, the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine said in a statement that it "attaches great importance to the matter and has set up a special working group to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the incident".
"The School of Medicine has always attached great importance to scientific research integrity and research norms, and firmly opposes conducting medical scientific research in violation of scientific research ethics," it said.
