FINDINGS OF SCIENTIFIC MISCONDUCT

RELEASE DATE:  January 9, 2003

NOTICE:  NOT-OD-03-018

Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)

Notice is hereby given that the Office of Research Integrity (ORI) and the 
Assistant Secretary for Health have taken final action in the following case:

Michael B. Ganz, M.D., Case Western Reserve University:  Based on the report 
of an investigation conducted by Case Western Reserve University (CWRU Report) 
and additional analysis conducted by ORI in its oversight review, the U.S. 
Public Health Service (PHS) found that Dr. Ganz, Associate Professor of 
Medicine, CWRU, engaged in scientific misconduct by falsification and 
fabrication of research in grant application R01 DK058674-01A2, "The role of 
protein kinase C and shuttling proteins in diabetic kidney disease," submitted 
to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases 
(NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Specifically, PHS found that Dr. Ganz engaged in scientific misconduct by:

(1) falsifying Figure 16 in NIH grant application R01 DK058674-01A2 by 
claiming that photomicrographs of glomeruli were from a streptozotocin model 
of induced diabetes in rat, while the photomicrographs were actually from 
tissue of human or other primate origin;

(2) falsifying Figure 16 of this NIH grant application by claiming that six 
photomicrographs all represented glomeruli from different animals, whereas 
they actually were from only three different glomeruli, with each glomerulus 
being shown in two images with different orientations and/or magnifications; 
and

(3) falsifying and fabricating documents, purportedly showing the source of 
the falsified Figure 16 in the NIH grant application, which the Respondent 
provided to the CWRU inquiry committee.

The research was significant because it was designed to develop a therapy to 
prevent the progressive glomerular hypertrophy and matrix deposition that 
occur with the renal disease associated with diabetes in animals and humans.

Dr. Ganz has entered into a Voluntary Exclusion Agreement in which he has 
voluntarily agreed for a period of five (5) years, beginning on December 18, 
2002:

(1) to exclude himself from any contracting or subcontracting with any agency 
of the United States Government and from eligibility for, or involvement in, 
nonprocurement transactions (e.g., grants and cooperative agreements) of the 
United States Government referred to as "covered transactions" as defined in 
45 C.F.R. Part 76 (Debarment Regulations); and

(2) to exclude himself from serving in any advisory capacity to PHS including 
but not limited to service on any PHS advisory committee, board, and/or peer 
review committee, or as a consultant.

INQUIRIES

For further information contact:

Director
Division of Investigative Oversight
Office of Research Integrity
5515 Security Lane, Suite 700
Rockville, MD  20852
Telephone:  301- 443-5330

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