Tessier-Lavigne research under investigation for scientific misconduct - Printable Version
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RE: Tessier-Lavigne research under investigation for scientific misconduct - Mick - 02-17-2023
Interesting that he got away with it for so long, particularly in light of inability to replicate results and the commercial failures.
RE: Tessier-Lavigne research under investigation for scientific misconduct - johnbar - 02-17-2023
MLT responds in an email; the link is: https://tessier-lavigne-lab.stanford.edu/news/false-allegations-stanford-daily
Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues,
Many of you may have seen an article in the Stanford Daily today that makes a string of false allegations regarding some of my scientific findings on neural degeneration. For those of you who wish to know the facts, please visit this link at my lab website.
Sincerely,
Marc Tessier-Lavigne
President, Stanford University
Bing Presidential Professor and Head of the Tessier-Lavigne Laboratory at Stanford University
RE: Tessier-Lavigne research under investigation for scientific misconduct - 2006alum - 02-17-2023
The problem for MTL is that after a while the potentially false or exaggerated allegations start to stick when enough true or substantially true ones have been lodged. And at what point does one think this ongoing distraction has impaired his ability to lead the university, even if every single allegation isn't ultimately fully substantiated?
Oy. Hopefully if he leaves he takes the Gorgon-sounding Persis Drell with him.
RE: Tessier-Lavigne research under investigation for scientific misconduct - cardcrimson - 02-17-2023
(02-17-2023, 04:10 PM)johnbar Wrote: MLT responds in an email; the link is: https://tessier-lavigne-lab.stanford.edu/news/false-allegations-stanford-daily
Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues,
Many of you may have seen an article in the Stanford Daily today that makes a string of false allegations regarding some of my scientific findings on neural degeneration. For those of you who wish to know the facts, please visit this link at my lab website.
Sincerely,
Marc Tessier-Lavigne
President, Stanford University
Bing Presidential Professor and Head of the Tessier-Lavigne Laboratory at Stanford University
What's next? MTL suing the Daily for libel? "Oh, they wanted fun on campus, so they trumped up this false allegations to get rid of me". . . .
RE: Tessier-Lavigne research under investigation for scientific misconduct - PalmTree - 02-17-2023
(02-17-2023, 05:01 PM)cardcrimson Wrote:(02-17-2023, 04:10 PM)johnbar Wrote: MLT responds in an email; the link is: https://tessier-lavigne-lab.stanford.edu/news/false-allegations-stanford-daily
Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues,
Many of you may have seen an article in the Stanford Daily today that makes a string of false allegations regarding some of my scientific findings on neural degeneration. For those of you who wish to know the facts, please visit this link at my lab website.
Sincerely,
Marc Tessier-Lavigne
President, Stanford University
Bing Presidential Professor and Head of the Tessier-Lavigne Laboratory at Stanford University
What's next? MTL suing the Daily for libel? "Oh, they wanted fun on campus, so they trumped up this false allegations to get rid of me". . . .
I'm on staff and received it this afternoon. I strongly believe this email was a brazen phishing attempt - the last sentence asking the recipient to visit the lab's website contained a hyperlink, which nobody in their right mind should ever click - but that's just the left side of my brain's opinion. That said, this whole thing's turning an ugly circus - BoT needs to act soon and decisively.
RE: Tessier-Lavigne research under investigation for scientific misconduct - TrumpCard - 02-17-2023
(02-17-2023, 05:01 PM)cardcrimson Wrote:(02-17-2023, 04:10 PM)johnbar Wrote: MLT responds in an email; the link is: https://tessier-lavigne-lab.stanford.edu/news/false-allegations-stanford-daily
Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues,
Many of you may have seen an article in the Stanford Daily today that makes a string of false allegations regarding some of my scientific findings on neural degeneration. For those of you who wish to know the facts, please visit this link at my lab website.
Sincerely,
Marc Tessier-Lavigne
President, Stanford University
Bing Presidential Professor and Head of the Tessier-Lavigne Laboratory at Stanford University
What's next? MTL suing the Daily for libel? "Oh, they wanted fun on campus, so they trumped up this false allegations to get rid of me". . . .
I do think some publications have a tendency to overstate allegations of misconduct. The motives for such overstatements may vary depending on the circumstances, from trying to gain clicks by sensationalizing a small story to wanting to be the person who breaks a big story even though the author doesn't (yet) have the goods. The Stan Cohen story in the Daily struck me as that sort of overreach, so I'm on high alert when I read takedowns in the Daily. On its face, however, this MTL story seems well-sourced, including reference to statements by several anonymous senior scientists/executives at Genentech. MTL would be foolish to sue for defamation as the Daily would likely win an anti-SLAPP motion, assuming the sources are legit.
RE: Tessier-Lavigne research under investigation for scientific misconduct - washingtonismoney - 02-18-2023
(02-17-2023, 05:44 PM)TrumpCard Wrote:(02-17-2023, 05:01 PM)cardcrimson Wrote:(02-17-2023, 04:10 PM)johnbar Wrote: MLT responds in an email; the link is: https://tessier-lavigne-lab.stanford.edu/news/false-allegations-stanford-daily
Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues,
Many of you may have seen an article in the Stanford Daily today that makes a string of false allegations regarding some of my scientific findings on neural degeneration. For those of you who wish to know the facts, please visit this link at my lab website.
Sincerely,
Marc Tessier-Lavigne
President, Stanford University
Bing Presidential Professor and Head of the Tessier-Lavigne Laboratory at Stanford University
What's next? MTL suing the Daily for libel? "Oh, they wanted fun on campus, so they trumped up this false allegations to get rid of me". . . .
I do think some publications have a tendency to overstate allegations of misconduct. The motives for such overstatements may vary depending on the circumstances, from trying to gain clicks by sensationalizing a small story to wanting to be the person who breaks a big story even though the author doesn't (yet) have the goods. The Stan Cohen story in the Daily struck me as that sort of overreach, so I'm on high alert when I read takedowns in the Daily. On its face, however, this MTL story seems well-sourced, including reference to statements by several anonymous senior scientists/executives at Genentech. MTL would be foolish to sue for defamation as the Daily would likely win an anti-SLAPP motion, assuming the sources are legit.
What's very bad for MTL is the article's meticulous documentation of his (and his proxies') inability to answer questions straight -- and to get contradicted by other inconvenient facts. I find this denial very hard to believe.
RE: Tessier-Lavigne research under investigation for scientific misconduct - GK3 - 02-18-2023
(02-18-2023, 11:20 AM)washingtonismoney Wrote:(02-17-2023, 05:44 PM)TrumpCard Wrote:(02-17-2023, 05:01 PM)cardcrimson Wrote:(02-17-2023, 04:10 PM)johnbar Wrote: MLT responds in an email; the link is: https://tessier-lavigne-lab.stanford.edu/news/false-allegations-stanford-daily
Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues,
Many of you may have seen an article in the Stanford Daily today that makes a string of false allegations regarding some of my scientific findings on neural degeneration. For those of you who wish to know the facts, please visit this link at my lab website.
Sincerely,
Marc Tessier-Lavigne
President, Stanford University
Bing Presidential Professor and Head of the Tessier-Lavigne Laboratory at Stanford University
What's next? MTL suing the Daily for libel? "Oh, they wanted fun on campus, so they trumped up this false allegations to get rid of me". . . .
I do think some publications have a tendency to overstate allegations of misconduct. The motives for such overstatements may vary depending on the circumstances, from trying to gain clicks by sensationalizing a small story to wanting to be the person who breaks a big story even though the author doesn't (yet) have the goods. The Stan Cohen story in the Daily struck me as that sort of overreach, so I'm on high alert when I read takedowns in the Daily. On its face, however, this MTL story seems well-sourced, including reference to statements by several anonymous senior scientists/executives at Genentech. MTL would be foolish to sue for defamation as the Daily would likely win an anti-SLAPP motion, assuming the sources are legit.
What's very bad for MTL is the article's meticulous documentation of his (and his proxies') inability to answer questions straight -- and to get contradicted by other inconvenient facts. I find this denial very hard to believe.
Sure sounds like the BoT finally needs to step in and tell him to either resign or be fired. Of course my familiarity with the Presidents of Stanford go back to Wallace Sterling. He and my father were fellow doctoral students at Stanford in the early 1930's, different disciplines but my father always had a lot of good things to say about Sterling. I met him on a number of occasions and always came away impressed. His issue of the Jewish Doctoral Students remains a negative on on otherwise fine career.
RE: Tessier-Lavigne research under investigation for scientific misconduct - OCcardinal - 02-18-2023
(02-17-2023, 05:44 PM)TrumpCard Wrote: I do think some publications have a tendency to overstate allegations of misconduct. The motives for such overstatements may vary depending on the circumstances, from trying to gain clicks by sensationalizing a small story to wanting to be the person who breaks a big story even though the author doesn't (yet) have the goods. The Stan Cohen story in the Daily struck me as that sort of overreach, so I'm on high alert when I read takedowns in the Daily.The Daily seems have taken a distinctly anti-Stanford bent this year. Even trivial things are couched in the negative. Lake Lag is filled again and it's beautiful, but we caught a couple students swimming in it so let's rat them out! Scandal! I was on campus a couple months ago and the whole front page of the Daily was negative articles about the university. It's put me on the same "high alert" status as you.
This article may or may not contain important revelations. I'll look to others to discern whether that is the case. Stanford is a research university. If the revelations are accurate/important then surely the faculty Senate will immediately call for MTL's resignation. If not then I'll presume the article didn't move the needle very far.
RE: Tessier-Lavigne research under investigation for scientific misconduct - 81alum - 02-18-2023
Having been a member of an Academic Senate for 30+ years, I doubt that the Stanford Senate will have more expertise on the finer points of these allegations than most others. Faculty come from a wide range of backgrounds and many come from outside the sciences. Furthermore, there will be fear to vote against the President given that if he survives this crisis, he could punish his enemies in countless ways. University senates are political bodies just like all other parliamentary bodies, and subject to the same issues.
All that said, and having once been on the faculty at Stanford, I can't believe that any self respecting academic would want MTL to remain in control while he deals with these charges. It cannot be good for the institution that its President is spending so much time defending himself, and that the University's chief executive is under a cloud of suspicion. Let him vigorously defend himself full time while he is on leave, and if he succeeds, welcome him back. In the meantime, get an undistracted leader to run the organization, an interim President. Maybe Hennessey could be persuaded to do it for six months. Casper is probably too old. Or a former Provost, perhaps.
RE: Tessier-Lavigne research under investigation for scientific misconduct - OCcardinal - 02-18-2023
(02-18-2023, 05:54 PM)OCcardinal Wrote:(02-17-2023, 05:44 PM)TrumpCard Wrote: I do think some publications have a tendency to overstate allegations of misconduct. The motives for such overstatements may vary depending on the circumstances, from trying to gain clicks by sensationalizing a small story to wanting to be the person who breaks a big story even though the author doesn't (yet) have the goods. The Stan Cohen story in the Daily struck me as that sort of overreach, so I'm on high alert when I read takedowns in the Daily.The Daily seems have taken a distinctly anti-Stanford bent this year. Even trivial things are couched in the negative. "Lake Lag is filled again and it's arguably beautiful, but look, we caught a couple students swimming in it, so SCANDAL!" I was on campus a couple months ago and the whole front page of the Daily was negative articles about the university. It's put me on the same "high alert" status as you.
This article may or may not contain accurate/important revelations. I'll look to others (like the Faculty senate) to discern whether that is the case.
RE: Tessier-Lavigne research under investigation for scientific misconduct - cardcrimson - 02-18-2023
(02-18-2023, 06:07 PM)OCcardinal Wrote: The Daily seems have taken a distinctly anti-Stanford bent this year. Even trivial things are couched in the negative. "Lake Lag is filled again and it's arguably beautiful, but look, we caught a couple students swimming in it, so SCANDAL!" I was on campus a couple months ago and the whole front page of the Daily was negative articles about the university. It's put me on the same "high alert" status as you.
This article may or may not contain accurate/important revelations. I'll look to others (like the Faculty senate) to discern whether that is the case.
Well, the University seems to have really put a damper campus life. Then again, much of that info came from the Daily. . . . .
RE: Tessier-Lavigne research under investigation for scientific misconduct - BostonCard - 02-18-2023
(02-18-2023, 06:03 PM)81alum Wrote: All that said, and having once been on the faculty at Stanford, I can't believe that any self respecting academic would want MTL to remain in control while he deals with these charges. It cannot be good for the institution that its President is spending so much time defending himself, and that the University's chief executive is under a cloud of suspicion. Let him vigorously defend himself full time while he is on leave, and if he succeeds, welcome him back. In the meantime, get an undistracted leader to run the organization, an interim President. Maybe Hennessey could be persuaded to do it for six months. Casper is probably too old. Or a former Provost, perhaps.
The logical thing would be the current provost, but I’m not sure I want her running things either.
BC
RE: Tessier-Lavigne research under investigation for scientific misconduct - johnbar - 02-18-2023
The SF Chronicle picked up the story:
https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/student-paper-scientists-accuse-stanford-17791017.php
The print edition headline makes it sound like the research was done at Stanford:
![[Image: sfchrons.png]](https://www.bartelt.org/pics/sfchrons.png)
RE: Tessier-Lavigne research under investigation for scientific misconduct - 82lsju - 02-21-2023
Quote:The Stanford Daily has won a 2022 George Polk Award in Journalism, marking the first time in history that an independent, student-run newspaper has won the prestigious award. Theo Baker ’26, Investigations Editor at The Daily, will be honored with a “Special Award” for his investigation into allegations that research co-authored by University President Marc Tessier-Lavigne contained manipulated images.
https://stanforddaily.com/2023/02/20/daily-staffer-wins-polk-award-first-for-an-independent-student-run-newspaper/?utm_content=Feb-21-2023%3Futm_campaign%3Ddigest&utm_content=Feb-21-2023
RE: Tessier-Lavigne research under investigation for scientific misconduct - washingtonismoney - 02-21-2023
(02-21-2023, 08:50 AM)82lsju Wrote:Quote:The Stanford Daily has won a 2022 George Polk Award in Journalism, marking the first time in history that an independent, student-run newspaper has won the prestigious award. Theo Baker ’26, Investigations Editor at The Daily, will be honored with a “Special Award” for his investigation into allegations that research co-authored by University President Marc Tessier-Lavigne contained manipulated images.
https://stanforddaily.com/2023/02/20/daily-staffer-wins-polk-award-first-for-an-independent-student-run-newspaper/?utm_content=Feb-21-2023%3Futm_campaign%3Ddigest&utm_content=Feb-21-2023
The Polk is a real-deal big journalism award -- you'd rather win the Pulitzer, of course, but Polk is a fine second-best option. In other words: Baker's stuff here is among the most substantive investigative journalism of the year.
RE: Tessier-Lavigne research under investigation for scientific misconduct - cardcrimson - 02-21-2023
(02-21-2023, 11:08 AM)washingtonismoney Wrote:(02-21-2023, 08:50 AM)82lsju Wrote:Quote:The Stanford Daily has won a 2022 George Polk Award in Journalism, marking the first time in history that an independent, student-run newspaper has won the prestigious award. Theo Baker ’26, Investigations Editor at The Daily, will be honored with a “Special Award” for his investigation into allegations that research co-authored by University President Marc Tessier-Lavigne contained manipulated images.
https://stanforddaily.com/2023/02/20/daily-staffer-wins-polk-award-first-for-an-independent-student-run-newspaper/?utm_content=Feb-21-2023%3Futm_campaign%3Ddigest&utm_content=Feb-21-2023
The Polk is a real-deal big journalism award -- you'd rather win the Pulitzer, of course, but Polk is a fine second-best option. In other words: Baker's stuff here is among the most substantive investigative journalism of the year.
Fantastic for Stanford and Baker! Congrats!
Two questions:
What does it mean for MTL? Kind of makes his lame email last week look pretty pathetic.
What does it say for the state of investigative reporting in the US, when a student newspaper wins such a prestigious award?
RE: Tessier-Lavigne research under investigation for scientific misconduct - TrumpCard - 02-21-2023
For those following this more closely than I have, please remind me, what was The Daily's role in this investigation? Based on the little I've read, I thought that Elizabeth Bik was the person initially responsible for investigating MTL's alleged misconduct. Did Baker or others at The Daily do something to uncover Bik's investigation that otherwise would have remained private? Thanks!
RE: Tessier-Lavigne research under investigation for scientific misconduct - 82lsju - 02-21-2023
(02-21-2023, 11:49 AM)TrumpCard Wrote: For those following this more closely than I have, please remind me, what was The Daily's role in this investigation? Based on the little I've read, I thought that Elizabeth Bik was the person initially responsible for investigating MTL's alleged misconduct. Did Baker or others at The Daily do something to uncover Bik's investigation that otherwise would have remained private? Thanks!
here is the Daily's timeline of events
https://stanforddaily.com/2023/02/16/latest-updates-stanford-president-under-investigation-for-research-misconduct/
the initial article says in part
Quote:Three other papers published[b] [/b]in Science and Nature by the University president also contain “serious problems,” according to Elisabeth Bik, a biologist and science misconduct investigator routinely featured in outlets such as The New York Times, The New Yorker and Nature, who was contacted by The Daily last month to review several separate allegations. Tessier-Lavigne is the lead author on two of these papers.
which implies the Daily reaching out to Bik for comment, unclear where the Daily got the initial info on possible issues with the papers but I have not seen anything that came before the Daily article on Nov 29, 2022 that talks to this issue
RE: Tessier-Lavigne research under investigation for scientific misconduct - M T - 02-21-2023
(02-21-2023, 12:14 PM)82lsju Wrote:Quote:Three other papers published[b] [/b]in Science and Nature by the University president also contain “serious problems,” according to Elisabeth Bik, a biologist and science misconduct investigator routinely featured in outlets such as The New York Times, The New Yorker and Nature, who was contacted by The Daily last month to review several separate allegations. Tessier-Lavigne is the lead author on two of these papers.
which implies the Daily reaching out to Bik for comment, unclear where the Daily got the initial info on possible issues with the papers but I have not seen anything that came before the Daily article on Nov 29, 2022 that talks to this issue
Does "I have not seen anything that came before the Daily article on Nov 29, 2022" mean you haven't looked at PubPeer or any of the questions raised & responses made long before Bik started publishing links to her own press coverage there? The Daily had a link to PubPeer. If you can't find the link, try my Dec. 28 post, #136 in this thread.
It seems there is a feedback loop of press coverage about press coverage, all centering on Bik. While that wouldn't mean that something serious shouldn't be investigated, it does mean that a lot of the coverage is about coverage of the coverage. An echo chamber can get quite loud without much real input.