Federal Register #2026-08675

Notice of Research Misconduct and Administrative Actions Against Ariel Fernandez, Ph.D.

This notice addresses findings of research misconduct and related administrative actions: - Government buyer: - Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of the Secretary - National Institutes of Health (NIH) - National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) - No products or services are being procured or awarded - Key details: - Ariel Fernandez, Ph.D., former professor at Rice University, was found to have fabricated and falsified research data in studies funded by NIH and NIGMS - Misconduct included fabrication of chemical compound syntheses, manipulation of images, and falsification of assay results - Affected multiple publications, presentations, and grant applications - Administrative actions: - 15-year debarment from federal procurement and advisory roles - Notification to journals for retraction or correction of affected publications - Notable requirements: - No procurement activity; this is a notice of debarment and research misconduct - Places involved: - Office of Research Integrity, Rockville, MD - Porter Neuroscience Research Center, Bethesda, MD - Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, Washington, DC

Description

This notice details findings of research misconduct against Ariel Fernandez, Ph.D., former professor at Rice University, involving fabrication and falsification of research data in studies supported by U.S. Public Health Service funds. The misconduct includes falsifying chemical compound synthesis, manipulating images, and fabricating assay results across multiple publications and grant applications. Administrative actions include a 15-year debarment from federal procurement and advisory roles. The notice also lists affected publications requiring retraction or correction.

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