Marc Tessier-Lavigne, the president of Stanford University, is stepping down from his position after an inquiry by the university’s board found that scientific papers he co-authored contained manipulated research data.

Although the panel concluded that he did not personally falsify any of the research, it identified “serious flaws” in papers from labs he supervised, citing “repeated instances of data manipulation.” Dr. Tessier-Lavigne, a renowned neuroscientist, has been the university’s president for seven years and previously led research laboratories for over three decades.

The investigation, initiated in January, raised concerns about subpar scientific practices within his labs. The inquiry cleared him of attempting to cover up the data scandal but criticized his inadequate efforts to rectify the mistakes. He intends to retract three papers and correct two others published before his presidency. Despite the lack of personal fraud, Dr. Tessier-Lavigne chose to step down “for the good of the University,” with his term ending on August 31. He plans to continue as a faculty member and focus on strengthening laboratory controls at Stanford.