ENCODE Scholar Resigns from UChicago after Sex Scandal
NY Times reports -
Chicago Professor Resigns Amid Sexual Misconduct Investigation
A prominent molecular biologist at the University of Chicago has resigned after a university recommendation that he be fired for violating the schools sexual misconduct policy.
…
The professor, Jason Lieb, 43, made unwelcome sexual advances to several female graduate students at an off-campus retreat of the molecular biosciences division, according to a university investigation letter obtained by The New York Times, and engaged in sexual activity with a student who was incapacitated due to alcohol and therefore could not consent.
Dr. Lieb, who has received millions of dollars in federal grants over the last decade, did not respond to requests for comment.
It is unclear why NY Times chose the word ‘prominent’ instead of ‘talented’, ‘brilliant’ or some other qualification appropriate for a scientist. We feel it is more accurate to call him a scholar, and being an ‘ENCODE scholar’ is the pinnacle of success one can reach in the modern NHGRI-controlled scientific dystopia.
Dr. Lieb was a co-author in Ewan Birney’s 2007 ENCODE pilot paper as well as the infamous 80% paper. After 2007, he became a leader of modENCODE to bring the ‘success’ of ENCODE to C. elegans. ENCODE and modENCODE were the sources of his millions of dollars of federal grants.
NY Times also mentioned -
He was put on staff despite potential warning signs.
Before he was hired, molecular biologists on the University of Chicago faculty and at other academic institutions received emails from an anonymous address stating that Dr. Lieb had faced allegations of sexual harassment or misconduct at previous jobs at Princeton and the University of North Carolina.
Both U.N.C. and Princeton launched investigations, the email read.
Dan Graur, who gained immortality by exposing ENCODE’s BS, argues that ENCODE money was the reason Lieb’s other misconducts were overlooked.
That brings us to the more important question - which university will Lieb head to after this round? Most likely his funding will double, given that NHGRI becomes more supportive of scientists after they get caught in various misdeeds.
-—————————————————–
Readers may also like - Lets Discuss Is it Time to Shut Down NHGRI?
