The OASH Office of Research Integrity (ORI) announces the departure of Dr. Alexander Runko, Director of the Division of Investigative Oversight (DIO). During his tenure spanning over 11 years, Dr. Runko has served with tremendous dedication to ORI and the Research Integrity Officer (RIO) community. Over that time, he worked to provide oversight and preserve research integrity for Public Health Service (PHS)-funded biomedical research across the U.S. and abroad with sensitivity, rigor, and good humor. From 2011-2016, he served as a Scientist-Investigator before leaving ORI for another position. He then returned to ORI in 2019 to continue his work as DIO Director. During his time as DIO Director, Dr. Runko led the closure of more than 400 cases, including 45 cases with PHS research misconduct findings and administrative actions, and steered his division through the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, he was instrumental in laying the groundwork for the development of the first new ORI regulation in nearly two decades, helping draft the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to update the 2005 PHS Policies on Research Misconduct, 42 C.F.R. Part 93.  Dr. Runko is recognized as a champion of research integrity by RIOs all over the country.

Dr. Runko moves to his new position as program officer at the National Institutes of Health on October 6. ORI congratulates him on his new position and wishes him the best. Dr. Ning Du will serve as Interim Director of DIO.