Leijonborg resigns as president of CI’s board – Sveriges Radio

– The past six months have been extremely turbulent, I have put a tremendous amount of time of acute crisis, he says in Studio One.

It is about the world’s first transplant of a windpipe made of plastic, which in 2011 was conducted by Paolo Macchiarini at Karolinska University Hospital. Three patients received this kind of synthetic trachea implanted in Sweden. Today, two dead and one receive intensive care in the United States. On Monday presents Sten Heckscher its investigation of Karolinska Institutet, KI, handling Macchiarini case.

Leijonborg says it is not because of the investigation, he departs, but that it is the right time because it will.

– the past six months have been extremely turbulent, I have put a tremendous amount of time of acute crisis. It seems now that the review is that it is a good time then a powerful change to start and then I think it is better that any long-term deal with it. I had intended to resign last April in which case the time runs out my term.

This morning you met the minister for higher education and research, Helene Hellmark Knutsson. You took the decision after that?

– She has always said that it is I who should make the decision. We had a good talk, but I had decided, said Leijonborg.

In February this year, you said you had not committed any errors in connection with this Macchiariniaffären. Have you changed your mind at that point?

– Not really. I think the board has performed strongly since this came up. Full academic management is replaced, Macchiarini’re fired. However, in the investigation of the Karolinska University Hospital handling presented the other day it became clear that it needed a huge change of culture and other things. And it is clear that the Board is responsible for the systems themselves and thus it is good that another person takes responsibility, says Leijonborg .

The journalist Bosse Lindquist that revealed the deal on SVT says in Studio One that he is surprised how little reflection Leijonborg shows.

– You were nonetheless Research in the government to put the program to bet on Excellencies, star researchers Macchiarini. You were behind the approach that led to Macchiarini says Bosse Lindquist .

But Leijonborg do not agree with.

– for me it is incomprehensible that the fact that a government wants to invest in research and think it’s good that we have top international researchers, it would lead to cheating. It was of course not in my bill that you could cut corners at the position. I am appalled that it happened as it did, he said.

Studio One