The University of Connecticut is rejecting nearly $1 million in federal grants awarded to one of its scientists found to have falsified many of his findings on the health benefits of wine.
The school announced Wednesday that an internal investigation against Dipak Das, a tenured surgery professor and director of the UConn Health Center’s Cardiovascular Research Center, found 145 counts of fabrication and falsification of data.
The school said it is now in the process of terminating Das’ employment. The UConn Health Center has also sent letters of notification to 11 scientific journals that had published studies conducted by Das based on his research.
The investigation into Das was sparked by an anonymous allegation of research irregularities in 2008. The school issued a report today, which totals approximately 60,000 pages, that says Das is guilty of 145 counts of fabrication and falsification of data.
Inquiries are currently underway involving former members of Das’ lab; no findings have been issued to date.
As a result of the investigation the Health Center has frozen all externally funded research in Das’ laboratory and declined to accept $890,000 in federal grants awarded to him.
