Dipak K. Das

Dipak Kumar Das (1947 – September 19, 2013[1]) was the director of the Cardiovascular Research Center at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington. Das is known for his work on the beneficial properties of resveratrol, which is found in red wine,[2] but at least twenty of his research papers have been retracted.[3][4][5]

On January 11, 2012 the University of Connecticut Health Center announced that a review board has found Das guilty of 145 counts of fabrication or falsification of data. The three-year investigation examined more than seven years of activity in Das’s lab, and centered on Western blot results that had been manipulated and used in published papers. The investigation into Das was sparked by an anonymous allegation of research irregularities in 2008.[4][5][6][7] In May 2012, Das was fired from both positions at the University of Connecticut Health Center.[8] He then sued for $35 million in damages, citing libel.[8]

Biography

Das graduated from Jadavpur University[9] and received his Ph.D. from Calcutta University in India.[10] He joined the University of Connecticut in 1984 and received tenure in 1993.[11]

Das was a prolific publisher of research. His name appears on over 500 articles, including 117 articles on resveratrol.[12][13] Das was an editor-in-chief of the journal Antioxidants and Redox Signaling.[14] He also served as associate editor of the American Journal of Physiology: Heart and Circulatory Physiology and consulting editor of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry.[15][16] His work on alcohol, HDL, and the heart was mentioned in The New York Times.[17] He also gained attention in 2009 after publishing a study on the heart benefits of crushed garlic.[18] Dipak died on September 19, 2013.[1]

Data falsification investigation

The data fabrication began in 2005 when "there was no one in the lab with the expertise to prepare Western blots."[4] UConn investigators revealed that "many figures had more manipulations but, for expediency, the review board only noted the most obvious" in flagging 145 cases of misconduct.[13] The report stated that "given the large number of irregularities discovered, which were done over several years and in several different ways, the review board can only conclude that they were the result of intentional acts of data falsification and fabrication, designed to deceive."[19]

The university has notified 11 scientific journals that have published studies Das conducted,[20] and the U.S. Office of Research Integrity has launched an independent investigation of his work.[11]

In January 2012, University of Connecticut officials reported that dismissal proceedings were underway against Das.[11] The Health Center has frozen all research in Das’s laboratory and declined to accept federal grants awarded to him.[20]

Court case and legal representation

It was reported by the Hartford Courant in January 2013 that Das wanted to file a $35 million defamation lawsuit against UConn.[21] He died before the case went to court.

References

  1. 1 2 Obituary September 19th, 2013
  2. ↑ Resveratrol May Replace Aspirin As Heart Protector (Press release from Dr Dipak Das)
  3. ↑ Late resveratrol researcher Dipak Das up to 20 retractions
  4. 1 2 3 Investigation Finds UConn Professor Fabricated Research - Work Focused On Resveratrol, Chemical In Red Wine Hartford Courant, January 11, 2012)
  5. 1 2 UConn Health Center says professor falsified data (The Connecticut Mirror, January 11, 2012)
  6. ↑ UConn Investigation Finds That Health Researcher Fabricated Data (The Chronicle of Higher Education, January 11, 2012)
  7. ↑ Great Science Frauds - Dipak Das (TIME, January 12, 2012)
  8. 1 2 http://articles.courant.com/2012-06-19/health/hc-uconn-dipak-das-appeal-0620-20120619_1_uconn-board-board-of-trustees-votes-uconn-officials
  9. ↑ Wine research fraud slur on JU alumnus (The Telegraph (Calcutta), January 13, 2012)
  10. ↑ Dipak K. Das - University of Connecticut, Grad Faculty
  11. 1 2 3 Red wine researcher flagged for fake data (CBS News, January 11, 2012)
  12. ↑ Wade, Nicholas (2012-01-11). "University Suspects Fraud by a Researcher Who Studied Red Wine". New York Times. Retrieved 2012-01-12.
  13. 1 2 Jaslow, Ryan (2012-01-12). "Red wine researcher Dr. Dipak K. Das published fake data: UConn". CBS. Retrieved 2012-01-12.
  14. ↑ Oransky, Ivan (2012-01-12). "Red wine-heart research slammed with fraud charges". Reuters. Retrieved 2012-01-12.
  15. ↑ Das biography - Functional Foods Center
  16. ↑ Dipak K. Das - Natural Health Research Institute
  17. ↑ Activities & Achievements: Newsmakers (University of Connecticut)
  18. ↑ UConn says heart researcher falsified findings (Associated Press, January 11, 2012)
  19. ↑ Red-Wine Researcher Charged With 'Photoshop' Fraud (Medscape)
  20. 1 2 Scientific Journals Notified Following Research Misconduct Investigation (UConn Today, January 11, 2012)
  21. ↑ The Hartford Courant January 25, 2013 | BY William Wier

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Thursday, March 17, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.