NIH Answered Dr. Bradley Foerster After FOIA Lawsuit; Dr. Myria Petrou Demands Equal Treatment on Parallel Debarment Request
On November 10, 2026, Dr. Myria Petrou asked NIH for equal treatment of two parallel FOIA requests: a substantive determination, as NIH had just provided to Dr. Bradley Foerster, and release of any responsive, nonexempt records.
Dr. Petrou and Dr. Foerster submitted essentially identical requests concerning their respective records on June 16, 2026. NIH acknowledged both requests as received June 17 and gave both the same four-week completion estimate on August 20.
NIH issued Dr. Foerster a no-responsive-records determination on November 9—one day after Dr. Foerster submitted a federal FOIA lawsuit for filing. Dr. Petrou’s separate Request No. 66157 remained unanswered despite follow-up.
Recently obtained FBI records include a February 21, 2019 memorandum documenting discussions involving University of Michigan counsel and HHS-OIG and reporting that Dr. Petrou was being debarred from future federal grants.
Dr. Petrou was a nonfunded co-investigator on NIH Grant R01NS082304, received no grant funds, and received no notice or opportunity to respond. Dr. Petrou learned of the discussions more than seven years later through FOIA disclosures.
Dr. Petrou’s November 7 letter to University leadership documents the broader history, including HHS-OIG’s subsequent finding of no responsive debarment or related eligibility records concerning Dr. Petrou.
The November 10 email asks whether disputed financial assertions and University credibility findings reached federal officials or influenced the reported debarment effort.
Before resigning in September 2018, Dr. Petrou reported concerns about Dr. Robert Welsh’s grant obligations and accompanied research coordinator Duaa Altaee to the University’s OIE/Title IX office following a referral by Dr. Eva Feldman.
The Hall Render NIH grant report challenged the credibility of Dr. Foerster, Dr. Petrou, and Ms. Altaee. The report relied in part on material from the University’s sexual-harassment investigaton of Ms. Altaee's complaint, while expressly excluding Dr. Foerster's retaliation allegations from the review’s scope.
The report also alleged a potential conflict of interest because Ms. Altaee supposedly purchased Dr. Petrou’s and Dr. Foerster’s house. Dr. Petrou states that no sale or land contract existed. The only payments were less than $10,000 in total rent from Ms. Altaee and then-husband Tarick Seifeddine.
During Dr. Foerster’s cross-examination of Hall Render attorney David French, Mr. French could not identify the purchase claim’s specific source or verify having seen evidence of a purchase. Mr. French also acknowledged only skimming Ms. Altaee's sexual-harassment report and never having seen Dr. Foerster’s separate retaliation report.
Dr. Petrou supplied the supporting documents and asked NIH to identify the responsible official, issue a determination on Request No. 66157, and release responsive, nonexempt records.
Dr. Petrou would prefer resolution without litigation but is prepared to seek judicial review. Dr. Petrou requests equal treatment from NIH: a substantive determination, as NIH provided to Dr. Foerster. Another processing estimate would not substitute for that written decision.
Dr. Petrou’s November 10 email and NIH’s November 9 determination on Dr. Foerster’s request are reproduced below.
Open or download the supporting documents — Attachments 2–11 (PDF)
HHS-OIG Case 5-17-0-0192-4 Documentary Chronology
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Selected Reporting
- Bradley Foerster Submits 140-Exhibit, 1,121-Page Documentary Chronology to FBI for Supervisory Review of the Investigation Involving Dr. Bradley Foerster, Dr. Myria Petrou, and Duaa Altaee
- From One FBI File to a Legislative Proposal: Peter and Maria Foerster Ask Senator Van Hollen's Office and Congressman Jamie Raskin to Consider a Uniform Administrative Framework for Federal Investigations
- Eva Feldman Documentary Chronology: 139 Exhibits on NIH R01NS082304, University Proceedings, and Federal Investigation — No Response Received
- Bradley Foerster and Myria Petrou Send Ann Arbor Officials Documentary Chronology on AAPD and Related Federal Investigations — No Response Received
- Timothy Lynch Documentary Chronology: 63 Exhibits on University of Michigan Office of General Counsel, University Investigations, and Law Enforcement — No Response Received
- Bradley Foerster and Myria Petrou Documentary Chronology: 8 Exhibits Document More Than Two Years of Efforts to Trace Bank of Ann Arbor's $1.4 Million Sheriff's Sale Credit Bid — No Response Received
Brad Foerster, MD PhD
Brad Foerster is a FOIA advocate documenting requests, transparency disputes, and accountability investigations involving public agencies, universities, police oversight, and Russia-Gate related inquiries. His work compiles original documents, timelines, and analysis of public records and institutional responses. Brad is also a board-certified radiologist, author of Town & Gown, and has published over 40 peer-reviewed articles. Brad lives in Potomac, Maryland with his family and is a member of the Montgomery County Medical Society and the Takoma Park U.S. & World History Book Club.