In a shocking turn of events, Marc Tessier-Lavigne, the president of Stanford University, has decided to step down from his position after allegations of image alterations and falsified data in his research papers were brought to light by a student journalist.
According to NPR, it was discovered that Tessier-Lavigne’s papers, a total of 12, contained manipulated images, digitally altered backgrounds, and plagiarized blot results from other research papers.
Theo Baker, an 18-year-old student journalist, revealed that these allegations of fraud had been circulating on the internet for years, lurking in scientific forums and blog posts.
Surprisingly, they had never been reported until now, even though Tessier-Lavigne was overseeing a prominent institution with an annual budget surpassing that of 11 U.S. states.
Baker’s groundbreaking report has led to Tessier-Lavigne’s resignation. In response, the Stanford president has promised to retract or correct the inaccuracies in his heavily referenced papers, as acknowledged by Baker.
However, according to NPR, an investigative panel assembled by Stanford’s board, spearheaded by a law firm, concluded that Tessier-Lavigne had a minimal role in the publication process for the papers he co-authored. Furthermore, they determined that he was unaware of the manipulations in papers where he was the principal author.
Nevertheless, the panel uncovered his lack of oversight in managing his lab and addressing data discrepancies once they were published.
Baker contends that this issue of inadequate supervision spanned two decades and stemmed from a culture favoring “winners” and penalizing “losers.” These problems extend beyond Tessier-Lavigne and highlight a wider problem with scientific research integrity.
In his statement, Tessier-Lavigne maintains that he only submitted papers when he firmly believed in the accuracy of the data presented. He acknowledges that in hindsight, he should have been more diligent in seeking necessary corrections.
Surprisingly, the panel’s review also unearthed instances where others in his lab manipulated research data, unbeknownst to him. Despite his lack of awareness, Tessier-Lavigne takes full responsibility for their actions.
Effective August 31, Tessier-Lavigne will step down from his position as president but will continue as a faculty member and pursue his research at Stanford University.
This resignation marks the end of an era, prompting a critical examination of scientific research integrity and calling for stricter oversight to prevent future misconduct.