Two of the judges of the Nobel prize have been sacked for their part in a scandal over a disgraced stem cell scientist.
Paolo Macchiarini, a scientist who was once considered a pioneer in windpipe transplants, is at the centre of a crisis in Stockholm's Karolinska Institute that has caused huge problems for the Nobel committee. The panel is set to announce the winner of this year's prize next month.
Dr Macchiarini was once considered a leading specialist on windpipe transplants and his work was among some of the most praised in the field. But since then two of his patients died and he was accused of lying about his achievements, which he denies.
The two judges that have been removed from the Nobel committee are part of a group of individuals who are suspected of having ignored warnings about the scientist. The two judges have also served as heads of the Karolinska Institute, where Dr Macchiarini worked adn which has since seen the Swedish government sack its entire board.
Nobel Assembly secretary Thomas Perlmann told Swedish news agency TT on Tuesday that Harriet Wallberg and Anders Hamsten would be asked to leave the 50-member group, which will announce the annual award next month.
Wallberg and Hamsten have already left high-ranking jobs at Karolinska amid scathing criticism of how the institute handled allegations of scientific misconduct against stem-cell scientist Dr. Paolo Macchiarini.
Once considered a pioneer in windpipe transplants, Macchiarini was fired after being accused of falsifying his resume and misrepresenting his work.
Prosecutors are investigating him for involuntary manslaughter in connection with two patients who died. He disputes all charges.
Additional reporting by agencies
