Notice is hereby given that the Office of Research Integrity (ORI) has taken final action in the following case: Melanie Cokonis, Southern Research Institute: Based on the report of an investigation conducted by Southern Research Institute (SRI) and additional analysis conducted by ORI in its oversight review, ORI found that Ms. Melanie Cokonis, former Research Technician, SRI, engaged in research misconduct in research supported by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), contracts N01-AI-30047 (HHSN2722011000009C) and N01-AI-70042 (HHSN272200700042C), and National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), NIH, grant U54 HG005034. ORI found that the Respondent engaged in research misconduct by falsifying assay data that were submitted in reports to NIH. Specifically, ORI found that Respondent knowingly falsified data for cytoprotection assays with antiviral compounds and provided the false data for inclusion in reports submitte
A formal finding of research misconduct under 42 CFR part 93 (HHS) or equivalent agency policy. The respondent was found to have engaged in fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism of research data. The federal grant funds involved are typically identified in the FR notice, along with the administrative actions (debarment, supervised research, manuscript correction or retraction requirements).