The charges revealed this week of scientific misconduct by a UConn Health Center professor known for his work on the beneficial properties of a substance in red wine have prompted more than a few people to ask whether having a glass or two should still make them feel virtuous.

Dipak K. Das, a tenured professor, has denied falsifying or fabricating data but is facing dismissal proceedings by the university following a review board’s findings that suggest he manipulated figures in published papers.

Das drew attention for his work on resveratrol, the substance found in red wine that research suggests could have beneficial properties. After the case against him was made public this week, some scientists downplayed Das’ role in the field. The blog Retraction Watch offers a critical look at their take on Das’ place in red wine research.

Arielle Levin Becker covered health care for The Connecticut Mirror. She previously worked for The Hartford Courant, most recently as its health reporter, and has also covered small towns, courts and education in Connecticut and New Jersey. She was a finalist in 2009 for the prestigious Livingston Award for Young Journalists, a recipient of a Knight Science Journalism Fellowship and the third-place winner in 2013 for an in-depth piece on caregivers from the National Association of Health Journalists. She is a 2004 graduate of Yale University.

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