SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The president of Stanford University said Wednesday he would resign, citing an independent review that cleared him of wrongdoing in the investigation but found errors in some articles he wrote.
Marc Tessier-Lavigne said in a statement to students and staff that he would step down on August 31.
The resignation comes after the board of directors launched a review in the following December allegations of fraud and other unethical conduct related to its research and papers.
He says he has “never submitted a scientific article without a firm belief that the data was presented correctly and accurately.” But he says he should have been more diligent in seeking corrections regarding his work.
The review reviewed 12 papers Tessier-Lavigne worked on, and he is the lead author on five of them. He said he was aware of problems with four of the five papers, but acknowledged that he had taken “insufficient” measures to fix the problems. He said he will retract three of the papers and improve two.
The panel reviewed a dozen scientific papers that list Tessier-Lavigne as a co-author after allegations of misconduct aired on PubPeer, a website where members of the scientific community can raise concerns or concerns about scientific publications, the report said.
The panel acquitted him of the most serious allegations, that a 2009 paper published in the scientific journal Nature was the subject of a fraud investigation and that fraud had been found. There was no investigation and no fraud detected, the panel ruled. The paper proposed a model of neurodegeneration, which could have great potential for research into and therapy for Alzheimer’s disease, the panel wrote in its report.
But the panel also concluded that the paper had multiple problems, including a lack of rigor in its development and that the research that went into the paper and its presentation contained “several errors and shortcomings.” The panel found no evidence that Tessier-Lavigne was aware of the lack of accuracy.
Tessier-Lavigne says he is stepping down because he expects debate to continue over his ability to lead the university. He will remain at the faculty as a professor of biology. He also said he will continue his research on brain development and neurodegeneration.
The board has named Richard Saller as interim president effective Sept. 1, said board chairman Jerry Yang.
In a statement, Yang said Tessier-Lavigne was key to creating the university’s first new school in 70 years, the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, and in 2019 unveiled a long-term strategic plan that will continue to drive the university’s growth.
Tessier-Lavigne served as president for nearly seven years.
