The head of research at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH Zurich) will quit the post after an investigation concluded that data in publications from his group had been faked.

Chemist Peter Chen will leave his position as vice-president of research and corporate relations — the job's remit includes quality assurance in research — at the end of September. He says he was not personally involved in handling the data, but acknowledges his responsibility as head of the research group. Chen will, however, remain a full professor of physical-organic chemistry at ETH Zurich.

"We didn't advise Professor Chen to resign from his administrative position," says Ralf Eichler, president of ETH Zurich. "But we accept his decision, even though Chen's integrity as a researcher is in my opinion undamaged." Chen was not available for comment.

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http://www.nature.com/news/2009/090922/full/news.2009.934.html