Pitt Research
Office of Research Protections

The CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 requires that key personnel certify that they are not part of a Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program (MFTRP) at the time a proposal is submitted to a federal funding agency or annually thereafter for the duration of the award. Federal agencies have begun to implement this certification through the use of new common disclosure forms for the Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support. 

The federal government's definition of a MFTRP is long and can be confusing. The Office of Research Security and Trade Compliance has a new section on their website that contains helpful information about foreign talent recruitment programs, including the federal definition of a malign program. Faculty who suspect they may have been contacted by or become associated with an MFTRP are encouraged to contact Researchsecurity@pitt.edu or Allen A. DiPalma at dipalma@pitt.edu.

In response to growing concern about research integrity, the Department of Health and Human Services has updated its Research Integrity Policy with new rules on how universities should investigate claims of research misconduct.

The new federal rules, which apply to all U.S. Public Health Service-funded research, aim to streamline the inquiry process and re-assert standards that must be followed when investigating research misconduct. Further, the rules provide institutions with the clarity, flexibility, and transparency needed to efficiently investigate and resolve claims. The University is reviewing the new regulations and will work to update our Research Integrity Policy by the compliance date of January 1, 2026.

Federal regulations require that the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) inspect, at least once every six months, all of the University's animal research sites using the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals and other regulatory documents as a basis for the evaluation.

Inspections of animal housing and use sites are currently underway. To prepare for the review of  your animal use space, we encourage you to watch the video titled, “What to Expect When You Are Expecting a Review of Your IACUC-Approved Space & Animal-Related Activities.” 

ORP is here to assist new University members jumpstart their research through our customized onboarding process. These onboarding sessions provide individualized assistance in protocol writing and regulatory compliance, while also establishing a point-of-contact that is helpful in addressing questions in the future.

New investigators have indicated that these personalized meetings are highly useful. If you are interested in our onboarding services, please complete this short survey so we can determine your needs. Visit our site to learn more.