Brought Low by a Grad Student

In November, Retraction Watch reported on two retractions from Cell and Molecular Biology because of alleged misconduct in the lab of University of Eastern Finland biochemist Carsten Carlberg. The researcher also holds a position at the University of Luxembourg, which launched an investigation last year at Carlberg's request into the misconduct. Now, says the blog's Adam Marcus, it appears that Carlberg is out of his job in Luxembourg — even though he has never been accused of ethical violations. Rather, it seems the person guilty of misconduct is his former grad student in Finland, Tatjana Degenhardt, Marcus says. But because Carlberg was the senior author on the two retracted articles, the University of Luxembourg says he is ultimately responsible and is seeking to dismiss him. "Taking my responsibility at the moment of the retraction, which the external scientific committee now confirmed, may mean that in worst case I loose [sic] my affiliation in Luxembourg," Carlberg writes to Retraction Watch. "To be honest, I will feel bad about that it happened in my lab until the end of my life, so yes, I feel responsible. ... I hope that the case of Tatjana is a warning for all other members of my team and others that know the details of the story. She was very talented but finally too ambitious."