Cell reopens investigation into university rector’s document, Tessier-Lavigne responds to allegations in letter to faculty

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December 6, 2022

University President Marc Tessier-Lavigne addressed Stanford faculty over allegations of research misconduct in papers he co-authored just hours before the research journal Cell does not announce that it would reopen an investigation into one of the articles in question.

Tessier-Lavigne, whose research is under investigation by the board of trustees as well as three leading research journals, wrote that he regretted the impact of these events on the university.

In his Monday email, Tessier-Lavigne distinguished between three papers, a Cell paper from 1999 and two Science papers from 2001 of which he was lead author and several other papers of which he was co-author.

The statement, also posted on the Tessier-Lavigne lab’s website, says he is in communication with Science and Cell to determine appropriate next steps regarding new concerns raised about papers for which he is the lead author. Tessier-Lavigne added that, in the papers he co-authored, the specific images that are interrogated come from collaborating labs.

However, wrote Tessier-Lavigne, I want to make it clear that I have never submitted an article without firmly believing that the data was correct and presented accurately. I also want to make it clear that I take responsibility for any concerns that arise with respect to any work in which I have been involved.

Tessier-Lavignes’ acknowledgment of responsibility departs from the University’s Nov. 28 statement that addressed Le Quotidien to the researchers responsible for [the] data when asked to comment on alleged misconduct in articles co-authored by Tessier-Lavigne.

The teachers reacted quickly. His email was mainly for public relations purposes to limit the damage and rather defensive in nature. I think the survey is bogus, the board made it clear they would stand behind it and so this compromised the objectivity of the survey, wrote a professor who requested anonymity for fear of repercussions in an email to the Daily. Other professors speculated that Tessier-Lavigne had little support among professors.

Hours after Tessier-Lavigne emailed the faculty, Cell told the Daily that new concerns, first raised in a Thursday article, about the [Cell] paper have arisen that warrant further examination. As with any investigation, we will work closely with authors and our Research Integrity team to determine the best course of action.

Cell initially declined to comment on the allegations on Nov. 28, citing a policy of not speaking about individual cases. Cell joins Science and the European Molecular Biological Organization (EMBO) journal to investigate the president’s research.

A spokesperson for the Cell clarified that the review survey in 2015 only addressed specific concerns brought to the publication by Tessier-Lavigne and that the entire article was not reviewed.

The spokesperson also wrote that the newspaper had been in contact with Tessier-Lavigne since the publication of the Daily article, but declined to elaborate on what those communications entailed and next steps for the newspaper. .

The Daily has contacted the University to comment on Cell’s statement and the faculty’s criticisms.

The Stanford Daily is Stanford University’s independent student newspaper. Read more of their stories on StanfordDaily.com.

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