FINDINGS OF SCIENTIFIC MISCONDUCT 

NIH GUIDE, Volume 26, Number 12, April 11, 1997

 

P.T. 34



Keywords:

  Ethics/Values in Science & Technol 

  Grants Administration/Policy+ 

 

Department of Health and Human Services

 

Notice is hereby given that the Office of Research Integrity (ORI)

has made a final finding of scientific misconduct in the following

case:

 

Enrico Portuese, University of Pittsburgh:  Based upon an

investigation conducted by the University of Pittsburgh, information

obtained by the Office of Research Integrity (ORI) during its

oversight review, and Mr. Portuese~s own admission, ORI found that

Mr. Portuese, a former graduate student in the Department of

Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of

Pittsburgh, engaged in scientific misconduct by fabricating research

data in biomedical research supported by two grants from the National

Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK),

National Institutes of Health (NIH).  Specifically, Mr. Portuese

fabricated data in a study of angiotensin-converting enzyme

polymorphism and complications from insulin-dependent diabetes

mellitus.  These fabricated data were included in an abstract that

was submitted to the American Diabetes Association in January 1996;

however, the abstract was not accepted, presented in public, or

published.  In addition, Mr. Portuese fabricated genetic data on

lipoprotein lipase polymorphisms as related to diabetes complications

and risk factors.  These fabricated data were included in tables

prepared by Mr. Portuese and presented by him to his doctoral

committee in October 1996.  None of the fabricated data in question

has been published, presented at a scientific meeting, or used in any

grant applications.  Mr. Portuese has accepted the ORI finding and

has entered into a Voluntary Exclusion Agreement with ORI in which he

has voluntarily agreed, for the three year period beginning March 25,

1997:

 

(1) to exclude himself from serving in any advisory capacity to the

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; and

 

(2) that any institution that submits an application for PHS support

for a research project on which Mr. Portuese~s participation is

proposed or which uses him in any capacity on PHS supported research

must concurrently submit a plan for supervision of his duties.  The

supervisory plan must be designed to ensure the scientific integrity

of Mr. Portuese~s research contribution.  The institution must submit

a copy of the supervisory plan to ORI.

 

No scientific publications were required to be corrected as part of

this Agreement.

 

INQUIRIES

 

For further information contact:

 

Acting Director, Division of Research Investigations

Office of Research Integrity

5515 Security Lane, Suite 700

Rockville, MD  20852

Telephone:  (301) 443-5330

 

.

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