Stanford president to step down after report finds he failed to correct research data mistakes

Stanford University President Marc Tessier-Lavigne on Wednesday said he will resign after an independent panel found he co-authored papers with "serious flaws" in data.

The panel analyzed the president's research over the past several decades and concluded in a report that "Tessier-Lavigne did not personally engage in research misconduct for any of the twelve papers about which allegations have been raised" but "several of these papers do exhibit manipulation of research data." 

The panel did not find evidence that Tessier-Lavigne "engaged in, directed, or knew of the misconduct when it occurred," the report also stated.

Tessier-Lavigne said in his resignation statement that he has consistently denied any allegations that he "engaged in fraud or any other unethical conduct related to my research and papers" and that he has "never submitted a scientific paper without firmly believing that the data were correct and accurately presented."

Tessier-Lavigne also said that he regrets not being "more diligent when seeking corrections" and he takes responsibility for the work of his lab members.

Even as he steps down as president, he plans to remain on Stanford's faculty and continue his research.

Madeleine Hubbard is an international correspondent for Just the News. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram.