Columbia has ended the administrative positions of Dr. Thomas Jessell and will be winding down the Jessell lab at CUMC. These decisions follow an investigation that revealed serious violations of University policies and values governing the behavior of faculty members in an academic environment. The University will fulfill its responsibility to close the lab in a manner and on a timetable that both preserves valuable research and helps those involved to continue to pursue their careers. Dr. Jessell has been out of the lab since the investigation began.
Columbia is dedicated to protecting the welfare of all members of the institution and the integrity of the academic mission. Our standards and policies, including those at issue here, reflect the character of our community, and violations are, accordingly, taken seriously, investigated thoroughly, and when confirmed, acted upon.
We would like to make clear that these decisions are entirely unrelated to Dr. Jessell's respected research and scholarship.