Overview
- The 79-year-old resigned as co-director of Columbia’s Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and left his investigator post at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
- In a statement, Axel apologized for his past association with Jeffrey Epstein, calling it a serious error in judgment and expressing deep regret.
- Columbia praised his scientific contributions and said it agreed with his decision to relinquish the leadership role.
- Justice Department records reference Axel hundreds of times and include emails from 2010 to 2019, invitations to Epstein’s residences, and a Dec. 30, 2011 flight ticket to St. Thomas for Axel and his wife.
- Axel has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing, and HHMI will fund members of his lab to complete current research.