An intriguing announcement about “unethical conduct” from Swedens’ Karolinska Institute, one of Europe’s top biomedical research centres.
Harriet Wallberg-Henriksson, president of the institute, has dismissed Karl Tryggvason as Dean of Research “after it emerged that he exercised undue influence over how funds were allocated to leading professors”.
Tryggvason’s alleged misconduct included sending a letter from his private email address to the chair of the independent evaluation committee responsible for allocating funds from Karolinska’s “prominent professors programme”. This email, suggesting “worthy recipients of the funds”, was then circulated to committee members.
“I take such unethical conduct very, very seriously,” Wallberg-Henriksson said.
In addition to his removal as research dean, Tryggvason may face additional sanctions “pending further investigation,” the institute said.
Tryggvason is a distinguished clinical biochemist, with an international research staff of about 30. He is also a member of the Nobel Assembly that chooses the medicine laureates, and a cofounder of two biotech companies, BioStratum and NephroGenenex.
Margaret McCartney
Clive Cookson
Andrew Jack