BY A STAFF REPORTER
SAN DIEGO,CA – Prominent Indian-American cancer biologist Inder Verma unconditionally resigned from the Salk Institute for Biological Studies on June 6.The research institute’s board of trustees voted unanimously to accept his resignation, a report in ‘Science’ said. Salk President Rusty Gage and Board Chairman Dan Lewis made...
SAN DIEGO,CA – Prominent Indian-American cancer biologist Inder Verma unconditionally resigned from the Salk Institute for Biological Studies on June 6.The research institute’s board of trustees voted unanimously to accept his resignation, a report in ‘Science’ said. Salk President Rusty Gage and Board Chairman Dan Lewis made...
the announcement in a letter to Salk colleagues.The letter said Salk would not share further details of the confidential personnel matter.
“This has been a challenging time for the Institute,” Lewis and Gage added. “We have been heartened by the way the Salk community has come together and worked together to face these challenges.”
In March, Salk hired The Rose Group, an employment law firm based here, to investigate allegations of sexual harassment against Verma, 70, a pioneer in gene therapy and oncogene research who was hired at Salk in 1974. In April, Salk suspended Verma after ‘Science’ sent the institute a list of questions about allegations of sexual harassment against him. A few days later, ‘Science’ described allegations made by eight women, six of them affiliated with Salk, of harassment incidents spanning 40 years.
Verma denied the allegations in a statement that read in part: “I have never inappropriately touched, nor have I made any sexually charged comments, to anyone affiliated with the Salk Institute.”
Salk is also facing gender discrimination lawsuits from three senior female scientists who allege the institute is an “old boys club” that systematically obstructed their career advancement. The lawsuits are scheduled to come to trial in December.
“This has been a challenging time for the Institute,” Lewis and Gage added. “We have been heartened by the way the Salk community has come together and worked together to face these challenges.”
In March, Salk hired The Rose Group, an employment law firm based here, to investigate allegations of sexual harassment against Verma, 70, a pioneer in gene therapy and oncogene research who was hired at Salk in 1974. In April, Salk suspended Verma after ‘Science’ sent the institute a list of questions about allegations of sexual harassment against him. A few days later, ‘Science’ described allegations made by eight women, six of them affiliated with Salk, of harassment incidents spanning 40 years.
Verma denied the allegations in a statement that read in part: “I have never inappropriately touched, nor have I made any sexually charged comments, to anyone affiliated with the Salk Institute.”
Salk is also facing gender discrimination lawsuits from three senior female scientists who allege the institute is an “old boys club” that systematically obstructed their career advancement. The lawsuits are scheduled to come to trial in December.