I UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
AT CHICAGO

 

Of?ce of the Chancellor (MC 102)
2833 University Hall
601 South Morgan Street

July 27, 2015 Chicago, Illinois 60607-7128

Mark D. Grabiner, 

Research Integrity Of?cer

Of?ce of the Vice Chancellor for Research
AOB 310, MC 672

RE: Research Integrity Case UIC 1 D10 5227
Dear Dr. Grabiner:

I am writing pursuant to the University of Illinois Policy and Procedures on Integrity in Research and
Publication (Policy), Section to issue my decision on the ?nal disposition of research integrity case
UIC D10 5227 with Nagamani (Mani) Kilaru Pavuluri, Professor and Berger-Colberth Chair in
Child Department of and Director, Pediatric Brain Research and Intervention
(BRAIN) Center, College of Medicine, Chicago.

I have reviewed both the Investigation Panel Report, which included Dr. Pavuluri?s written response to
the dra? report, and Vice Chancellor for Research Mitra Dutta?s recommendations. Based on the
evaluation, my decision is in support of the conclusion provided by the Of?ce of the Vice Chancellor for
Research.

Speci?cally, the history and pattern of behavior that repeatedly put subjects at risk and damaged the
credibility of the research data by not adhering to research protocols approved by NIMH and the UIC
collectively represent serious deviations that violate accepted ethical guidelines and professional
standards in clinical practice. The actions leading to these outcomes included reckless disregard for the
approved eligibility criteria, failure to perform required safety assessments and falsi?cation and
fabrication of research data in an attempt to obfuscate evidence of noncompliance with the research
protocols. These events go to the very heart of the conduct of clinical research and underscore the role
and value of IRB and ORI processes and federal regulations in the protection of human subjects and
ensuring integrity of the research data. Further, the use of unapproved medication washouts, recruitment
of individuals outside of approved inclusion and exclusion criteria, lack of pregnancy and laboratory
testing, and recruitment of individuals with co-morbid substance use and medical disorders all form a
pattern of placing research priorities above patient welfare. These actions form a core violation of
human subjects research ethics. 1 will direct that a formal review of Respondent?s clinical practice will
be conducted by the Dean of the College of Medicine.

Phone (312)413-3350 0 Fax (312)413-3393 0 

OK


The following of?cial sanctions of the University are to be imposed:

1. Immediate retraction by the Respondent for the three publications:

a. ?Where, when and how high, and how long? The hemodynamics of emotional response
in patients with adolescent bipolar disorder (Wegbreit et al., Journal
of Affective Disorders, 147:304-31 1, 2013);

b. ?De?cits in emotion recognition in pediatric bipolar disorder: the mediating effects of
irritability (Shankman eta1., Journal of Affective Disorders, 144:134-140, 2013); and

c. ?Altered affective, executive and sensorimotor resting state networks in patient with
pediatric mania? (Wu et al., Journal of and Neuroscience, 38:232-240, 2013).

2. Inde?nite revocation of all research rights and privileges of the Respondent, including but not
limited to the debarment of the Respondent at UIC from any submission of grant applications
with any funding entities and the prohibition of the Respondent from serving in any advisory
capacity related to research with any organization.

Pursuant to the Policy, please notify all appropriate parties, including federal agencies, of the outcome of
this case.

Sincerely,

A 

41444 
Michael Amiridis, 
Chancellor

UIC