One of the University of Utah’s strengths is its “world-class research.” U Health boasts 949 faculty members and 36 research departments. The U has succeeded in gaining recognition for its research across multiple disciplines, such as understanding kidney disease and snail toxins used to create better medicine.
But there is a major problem with U research.
In 2023, the U was one of 10 universities to have a researcher found guilty of research fraud. Even in 2024, the U was once again found guilty of the same crime. Being a research-focused university means nothing when the U has been the host of two separate instances of research fraud in the past two years. If the U aims to withhold its research integrity, it must take accountability for its failures and prioritize educating the student body.
A Lack of Accountability
The U did assist in investigating both the Ivana Frech and Gian-Stefano Brigidi cases. There have been public posts such as their assessments for the ORI (The Office of Research Integrity) and a brief statement to The Salt Lake Tribune.
However, there has been no self-published article or statement for the U’s students and community regarding the actual events that occurred.
In a phone interview, Sophia Friesen, media contact for U Health Research, said the U has published a specific article regarding research integrity.
Friesen also said, “We [the U Health’s Public Affairs Office] don’t comment on personnel issues.”
However, the article features no direct mention of the two research fraud incidents. Most offensive is the concluding sentence.
It reads, “Our researchers demonstrate their commitment to integrity every day as they produce the rigorous science that benefits society.”
Some researchers do not fulfill this statement.
The U Health Research Department cannot expect a vague post to be treated as the formal apology students and researchers deserve.
To ensure the student body is informed, the U should be announcing and sharing fraudulent research incidents. If the U isn’t keeping the student body up to date, students cannot practice their civic duties of evaluating and applying university regulations, as seen in the third right of the Student Bill of Rights.
If the U was transparent about poor research behavior, it would allow students to be more aware and active within the campus community.
Funding Inequality
In 2023, the U made history by surpassing its research funding goal with a total of $768 million within the fiscal year.
In this same year, a research fraud scandal occurred when Ivana Frech unlawfully altered images in cell biology research regarding cellular iron regulation.
One of her fraudulent research papers has been cited by at least 27 researchers. The most recent was a publication from 2022. The impacts of her data are still in relevant research today. Frech had received at least eight grants from various respectable organizations such as the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and the National Institutes of Health.
A portion of that same $768 million that the U surpassed helped fund research fraud.
For those hoping or actively completing research for the U, that is disheartening. While there isn’t a clear metric on exactly how many individuals seek research funding at the U, about 500 undergraduates were funded to complete research through UROP (Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program) in 2023.
With the U’s Health research center boasting 949 faculty members, the U has an impressive number of researchers.
The issue of research fraud can be especially frustrating for minorities because it furthers a divide between races in research, which has been a historical issue.
It is already extremely challenging for minority members to receive funding, specifically research regarding Black representation.
Moving Forward
Research integrity is essential to the U’s ethical and practical reputation.
If the U seeks to create meaningful change for Utah communities and globally, it must improve the way that it handles research fraud.
The practices that it enforces, like notifying federal funding agencies and training researchers on ethics, aren’t doing enough. This is the second year in recent history that research fraud has occurred on campus.
It is incredibly important that the U updates students with these events and recognizes the disparities within its research systems.
Through these changes, the U will create an environment where students are informed members of the community.
Students can then be proud of the U’s research through the belief that the university is an honest and transparent institution.
