Columbia Nobel Laureate Resigns Over Epstein Ties
A Nobel laureate at Columbia University has stepped down from his position. The resignation follows scrutiny over his ties to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. The departure marks another instance of a high-profile academic figure facing consequences for associations with Epstein.
- The Nobel laureate in question is Dr. Richard Axel, who was awarded the 2004 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his research on the sense of smell. - Dr. Axel stepped down from his position as co-director of Columbia University's Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, an institute he co-founded. However, he will keep his tenured role as a University Professor and continue his research. - His resignation follows the revelation of an 11-year friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, which began in at least 2010, two years after Epstein's 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor. - Recently released Department of Justice files showed that Dr. Axel was a frequent guest at Epstein's Manhattan home and the two were in contact until just five months before Epstein's death in 2019. - In addition to his role at Columbia, Dr. Axel also resigned as an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. - While Dr. Axel has expressed deep regret for his "serious error in judgment," he has not been accused of any wrongdoing, and the university has stated it has seen no evidence of him violating any laws or university policies. - This is not the first time Columbia has dealt with the fallout from Epstein's connections; the university recently took action against two officials at the College of Dental Medicine for their ties to Epstein. - The academic world has seen a number of similar resignations and investigations at institutions like Harvard and MIT, as the extent of Epstein's financial and social ties to prominent researchers comes to light.
