[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 170 (Tuesday, September 5, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60694-60695]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-19086]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary


Findings of Research Misconduct

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Findings of research misconduct have been made against Ivana 
Frech, Ph.D. (formerly Ivana De Domenico) (Respondent), former 
Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, University of 
Utah (UU) School of Medicine. Respondent engaged in research misconduct 
in research supported by U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) funds, 
specifically National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney 
Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), grants R01 
DK070947, R01 DK090257, and R01 DK030534, National Institute of General 
Medical Sciences (NIGMS), NIH, grant P50 GM082545, National Institute 
of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH, grant R01 AI051174, 
and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), NIH, grant R01 
HL026922. The administrative actions, including debarment for a period 
of three (3) years, were implemented beginning on August 21, 2023, and 
are detailed below.

[[Page 60695]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sheila Garrity, JD, MPH, MBA, 
Director, Office of Research Integrity, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 
240, Rockville, MD 20852, (240) 453-8200.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is hereby given that the Office of 
Research Integrity (ORI) has taken final action in the following case:
    Ivana Frech, Ph.D. (formerly Ivana De Domenico), University of 
Utah: Based on the evidence and findings of an investigation conducted 
by UU, ORI's oversight review of UU's investigation, and additional 
analysis conducted by ORI during its oversight review, ORI found that 
Ivana Frech, Ph.D. (formerly Ivana De Domenico), former Assistant 
Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, UU School of Medicine, 
engaged in research misconduct under 42 CFR part 93 in research 
supported by PHS funds, specifically NIDDK, NIH, grants R01 DK070947, 
R01 DK090257, and R01 DK030534, NIGMS, NIH, grant P50 GM082545, NIAID, 
NIH, grant R01 AI051174, and NHLBI, NIH, grant R01 HL026922.
    ORI found by a preponderance of the evidence that Respondent 
intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly falsified and/or fabricated 
western blot and autoradiogram images related to mechanisms of cellular 
iron regulation by reusing, relabeling, and manipulating images to 
falsely report data in eight (8) figures included in the following 
three (3) PHS-supported published papers:
     Two Distinct Modes of ESCRT-III Recognition are Required 
for VPS4 Functions in Lysosomal Protein Targeting and HIV-1 Budding. 
Dev Cell. 2008 Jul;15(1):62-73. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2008.05.014 
(hereafter referred to as ``Dev. Cell 2008'').
     The Role of Ubiquitination in Hepcidin-independent and 
Hepcidin-dependent Degradation of Ferroportin. Cell Metab. 2011 Nov 
2;14(5):635-46. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2011.09.008 (hereafter referred to 
as ``Cell Met. Nov. 2011'') Retracted: Cell Met. 2012 Jun 6;15(6):927. 
doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2012.04.107.
     Decoupling Ferritin Synthesis from Free Cytosolic Iron 
Results in Ferritin Secretion. Cell Metab. 2011 Jan 5;13(1):57-67. doi: 
10.1016/j.cmet.2010.12.003 (hereafter referred to as ``Cell Met. Jan. 
2011''). Retracted: Cell Met. 2012 Jun 6;15(6):927. doi: 10.1016/
j.cmet.2012.04.012.
    ORI found that these acts constitute a significant departure from 
accepted practices of the relevant research community. Specifically, 
ORI found by a preponderance of the evidence that Respondent engaged in 
research misconduct by intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly 
falsifying and/or fabricating:

 a western blot image in Figure 5B (right bottom panel) of Dev. 
Cell 2008 by reusing and relabeling an image of three western blot 
bands to represent the results of different experiments
 western blot images in Figure 1C (top and bottom panels) of 
Cell Met. Nov. 2011 by reusing and relabeling an image of western blot 
bands to represent the results of two different experiments
 western blot images in Figures 1D and 3 of Cell Met. Nov. 2011 
by reusing and relabeling one image to represent the results of two 
different experiments
 western blot images in Figures 2Aii and 2B of Cell Met. Nov. 
2011 by reusing and relabeling one image as representing the results of 
two different experiments
 western blot images in Figures 2Aii and 5 of Cell Met. Nov. 
2011 by reusing and relabeling one image as representing the results of 
two different experiments
 images in Figure 4B (top and bottom left panels) of Cell Met. 
Jan. 2011 by reusing and relabeling an image of an autoradiogram to 
misrepresent the reported experimental conditions and results

    The following administrative actions have been implemented:
    (1) For a period of three (3) years, beginning on August 21, 2023, 
Respondent is debarred from participating in ``covered transactions'' 
as defined in 42 CFR 180.200 and procurement transactions covered under 
the Federal Acquisition Regulation (48 CFR chapter 1).
    (2) Respondent is prohibited 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 for 
a period of three (3) years, beginning on August 21, 2023.
    (3) In accordance with 42 CFR 93.407(a)(1) and 93.411(b), HHS will 
send to the journal Developmental Cell a notice of ORI's findings and 
the need for retraction or correction of Dev Cell. 2008 Jul;15(1):62-
73. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2008.05.014.

    Dated: August 30, 2023.
Sheila Garrity,
Director, Office of Research Integrity, Office of the Assistant 
Secretary for Health.
[FR Doc. 2023-19086 Filed 9-1-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-31-P