Inder Verma

Inder Mohan Verma (born 28 November 1947) is an Indian American molecular biologist, the former Cancer Society Professor of Molecular Biology in the Laboratory of Genetics at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and the University of California, San Diego, and former editor-in-chief of the journal ''Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America'' (''PNAS''). He is recognized for seminal discoveries in the fields of cancer, immunology, and gene therapy.

Verma was accused of gender discrimination and decades-long sexual harassment by eleven women in lawsuits filed in 2017 and 2018. He resigned as editor-in-chief of ''PNAS'' in May 2018, and resigned his position at the Salk Institute in June 2018, before the board of trustees of the institute could take action regarding the allegations.

Early life and education

Inder M. Verma was born in 1947 in Sangrur, Punjab, India and educated at Lucknow University. He received his Ph.D. from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel in 1971.

Career and research

After his PhD, Verma conducted his postdoctoral research in the laboratory of Nobel laureate David Baltimore at MIT. In 1974, Verma joined the Salk Institute as an assistant professor. He was promoted to associate professor in 1979, and professor in 1985. He also holds an adjunct professor appointment at the University of California, San Diego. Among his professional activities, he is a member of the Board of Scientific Governors of The Scripps Research Institute. He is currently at the center of a lawsuit alleging systematic discrimination against women scientists at the Salk Institute.

Verma's work on viruses and cancer led to the identification of several oncogenes, including c-fos, and their function in normal cells. His development of virus mediated gene transfer techniques, including a stripped down version of HIV, has become the foundation for gene therapy to cure several congenital as well as adult onset diseases including cancer. The viral vectors are routinely used in molecular biology laboratories.

Gender discrimination lawsuits

Three female professors at the Salk Institute, Vicky Lundblad, Katherine Jones and Beverly Emerson, sued the center in July 2017, alleging it had "systemically discriminated against women in pay, promotions and access to grants". Lundblad's lawsuit asserted that administrators had deliberately reduced their advancement opportunities, passed them over when allocating grant money in favor of men, and pressured them into downsizing their labs.

Two of the lawsuits named Verma, with Lundblad also claiming that he and other male faculty had "repeatedly verbally disparaged the institute's senior female scientists", including the president of the institute. As a result of the lawsuits, Verma was placed on leave from his role as editor-in-chief of ''PNAS'' in December 2017. He resigned from the position in May 2018, after further sexual harassment allegations.

Sexual harassment allegations

In April 2018, ''Science'' published accounts by eight women who accused Verma of sexual harassment lasting decades. From 1976 to 2016, they alleged that Verma had "grabbed their breasts, pinched their buttocks, forcibly kissed them, propositioned them, and repeatedly commented on their physical attributes in professional settings". The Salk Institute had previously received at least five reports on Verma's behavior and conducted its own investigation; the women claimed the institute had protected him, with administrators telling one woman not to discuss her complaint.

Salk's board of trustees put Verma on administrative leave, two days after receiving a list of questions from ''Science'' concerning the allegations and the institute's responses to previous complaints about Verma's behavior. The American Association for the Advancement of Science removed his Fellow title after the allegations were confirmed.

Awards and honors

* 2009: American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy Outstanding Achievement Award
* 2008: Vilcek Prize in Biomedical Sciences
* 2008: AAISCR Lifetime Achievement Award
* 2006: Member of the American Philosophical Society
* 2005: Foreign Fellow, Indian National Science Academy (INSA)
* 2000: Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences (revoked)
* 1999: Member, Institute of Medicine of The National Academy of Sciences (USA)
* 1998: Associate Member, European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO)
* 1997: Elected a Member of the National Academy of Sciences (USA)
* 1997: Foreign Fellow, The National Academy of Sciences, India
* 1997: Fellow, American Society for Microbiology
* 1990: American Cancer Society Professor of Molecular Biology
* 1988: NIH Outstanding Investigator Award
* 1987: NIH MERIT Award

Personal life

He married Grietje van der Woude in 1973. They have a daughter Simone, who lives in La Jolla. They have twin granddaughters, Sophie and Marijke.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Verma, Inder
1947 births
21st-century American biologists
American medical researchers
Cancer researchers
Indian medical researchers
Living people
Massachusetts Institute of Technology faculty
Members of the United States National Academy of Sciences
Foreign fellows of the Indian National Science Academy
People from Sangrur
University of Lucknow alumni
Weizmann Institute of Science alumni
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America editors
Fellows of the AACR Academy
Members of the National Academy of Medicine
Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
Members of the American Philosophical Society
Salk Institute for Biological Studies people
American physicians of Indian descent