[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 81 (Wednesday, April 27, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23599-23600]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-10150]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary


Findings of Research Misconduct

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Office of Research Integrity 
(ORI) has taken final action in the following case:
    Vipul Bhrigu, PhD, University of Michigan Medical School: Based on 
the findings of an investigation by the University of Michigan Medical 
School (UMMS) and additional analysis conducted by the Office of 
Research Integrity (ORI) during its oversight review, ORI found that 
Vipul Bhrigu, PhD, former postdoctoral fellow, Department of Internal 
Medicine, UMMS, engaged in research misconduct in research funded by 
National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), 
grant R01 CA098730-05.
    Specifically, ORI found that the Respondent knowingly and 
intentionally tampered with research materials related to five (5) 
immunoprecipitation/Western blot experiments and switched the labels on 
four (4) cell culture dishes for cells used in the same type of 
experiments to cause false results to be reported in the research 
record. ORI also found that the Respondent tampered with laboratory 
research materials by adding ethanol to his colleague's cell culture 
media, with the deliberate intent to effectuate the death of growing 
cells, which caused false results to be reported in the research 
record. ORI has concluded that these acts seriously deviated from those 
that are commonly accepted within the scientific community for 
proposing, conducting, and/or reporting research.
    ORI found that the Respondent's intentional tampering of his 
colleague's laboratory research constitutes research misconduct as 
defined by 42 CFR part 93. ORI determined that the Respondent engaged 
in a pattern of dishonest conduct through the commission of multiple 
acts of data falsification. ORI also determined that the subterfuge in 
which he freely engaged for several months constitutes an aggravating 
factor. The Respondent attempted to mislead the University of Michigan 
(UM) police by initially denying involvement in the tampering and 
refusing to accept responsibility for this misconduct. The Respondent 
eventually made an admission only after the UM police informed him that 
his actions in the laboratory had been videotaped. This dishonest 
conduct established the Respondent's lack of present responsibility to 
be a steward of Federal funds (2 CFR 376 et seq.; 42 CFR 93.408).
    The following administrative actions have been implemented for a 
period of three (3) years, beginning on April 7, 2011:
    (1) Dr. Bhrigu is debarred from eligibility for any contracting or 
subcontracting with any agency of the United States Government and from 
eligibility for, or involvement in, nonprocurement programs of the 
United States Government, referred to as ``covered transactions,'' 
pursuant to HHS' Implementation of OMB

[[Page 23600]]

Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (2 
CFR 376 et seq.); and
    (2) Dr. Bhrigu is prohibited from serving in any advisory capacity 
to the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS), including but not limited to 
service on any PHS advisory committee, board, and/or peer review 
committee, or as a consultant.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Director, Division of Investigative 
Oversight, Office of Research Integrity, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 
750, Rockville, MD 20852, (240) 453-8800.

John Dahlberg,
Director, Division of Investigative Oversight, Office of Research 
Integrity.
[FR Doc. 2011-10150 Filed 4-26-11; 8:45 am]
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