University of Iowa settles with tenured, federally-funded research professor

IOWA CITY — The University of Iowa has agreed to pay a federally-funded researcher, lab director and cardiologist $350,000 to resign — relinquishing his tenure rights and suspending “any internal proceedings” involving him.

Kaikobad Irani — who’s been with UI Health Care as a full professor for more than a decade and leads the university’s 4-year-old “Irani Lab” that bears his name — signed the July 18 settlement that compels him to resign no later than Aug. 31.

Earning $171,418 annually, according to a UI compensation update in March, the settlement agrees to pay him “his full salary and benefits through the separation date, as well as compensation for any incentive earned through the separation date.” The settlement payment will be split $233,333.34 to Irani and $116,666.66 to attorneys.

The deal also spells out next steps for his research funding — including the possibility that the university will be on the hook for paying it back.

“On the effective date of this agreement, the UI will suspend any internal proceedings regarding Dr. Irani that occurred prior to the effective date, but will keep interim measures in effect,” according to the settlement, which also committed the university to dismiss “review proceedings.”

“To the extent permissible under the law, the employee will cause all complaints, proceedings, or other investigations filed or otherwise initiated by the employee to be withdrawn,” according to the agreement, adding, “any not withdrawn shall be deemed dismissed as of the effective date of this agreement.”

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The settlement releases the university, the state, the Board of Regents and its employees from any claims accusing them of breaking the law and “all claims referenced directly or indirectly in his attorney’s April 22, 2024 communication.”

The agreement doesn’t constitute an admission of wrongdoing by either side — the university or Irani — according to one of its stipulations.

The agreements also don’t elaborate on the reason behind the university’s review proceedings, or shed light on the content of the letter from Irani’s attorneys.

Grant funding

An attachment to the settlement spells out how the university will handle research projects and funding tied to Irani and his affiliation with the UI campus — including from the U.S. Office of Naval Research.

“In the event UI is required by the Office of Naval Research to provide grant payback in connection with research conducted by employee, UI agrees to fund such a payback,” according to the document regarding Irani’s research practices.

“UI will inform the employee in writing of the outcome of the oversight review conducted by the Office of Naval Research Office of Inspector General,“ according to the attachment, laying out possible ”grant transfer“ options and sub-awards instead.

The discussion, specifically, centered on Irani’s involvement as one of multiple principal investigators in two grants and his involvement to a lesser degree in three others.

“Ultimate approval of any sub-award is at the discretion of the funding agency for the two grants where employee currently serves as MPI,” according to the settlement. “If a sub-award is approved, UI will cooperate with employee’s new institution to promptly complete the required agreements and all required steps to complete the sub-award.”

The university did not immediately share details about how many grants and how much research funding is connected with Irani, who touts affiliation with the UI Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center, Pappajohn Biomedical Institute, Graduate Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Free Radical and Radiation Biology Program, and Medical Scientist Training Program.

Irani Lab

Earning his bachelor’s degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his medical degree from George Washington University, followed by residencies and fellowships at institutions like Temple University Hospital and John Hopkins Hospital, Irani directs a UI-based Irani Lab “of post-docs, junior faculty, technicians, and pre-docs with diverse skills and interests who work collectively as a team.”

“The lab culture nurtures scientific growth of trainees, encourages independent thought, values criticism and diversity of opinions, and thrives on members having the freedom to pursue novel hypotheses that can be tested within the limitations and expertise of the lab and its members,” according to the lab’s website. “Trainees are expected to take, and granted, full ownership of their projects.”

His lab includes a team of eight, according to its website, including one member who in April received a five-year $2.5 million award from the National Institutes of Health and its National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

Irani’s National Library of Medicine’s bibliography includes 125 citations.

During Irani’s earlier years with the UI, he was earning a salary over $270,000 — bringing in more than $300,000 in 2014, according to the state salary database. His salary was cut in half from 2015 to 2016 — falling from $273,842 to $112,894, records show

UI officials did not share details Monday about whether his duties or responsibilities changed during that period. And Irani’s salary continued to fall to $104,086 in 2020 — when it started ticking back up to $113,017 in 2022. Last year, the university reported a 52 percent salary spike for Irani to $171,418.

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