Researcher Wilson to step down as IHGT head
The Institute for Human Gene Therapy came under fire after the death of an
18-year-old test participant.
By Emily Sanders April
23, 2002
Penn researcher James Wilson announced that he will step down as director
of the Institute for Human Gene Therapy, effective at the beginning of July.
Wilson and the IHGT came under heavy criticism and scrutiny when a 1999 human
genetic research trial resulted in the death of 18-year-old Jesse Gelsinger.
Since that time, Wilson has continued in his position as director of the IHGT,
despite procedures currently underway by the Food and Drug Administration
that would bar him from ever conducting further research on humans. He did,
however, resign his post as chief of medical genetics in the Department of
Medicine in September of 2000.
According to Medical School Dean Arthur Rubenstein, Wilson's resignation
from the helm of the gene therapy institute comes after a review of the IHGT's
organization and focus by an eight-member committee that was organized in
August of 2001.
The committee found that in order for the IHGT to be effective in developing
new therapies and conducting research, the Institute needed to widen its mission
to include cell-based therapies, stem cell biology and molecular virology.
Because the recommendations for a change of scope and direction of the IHGT
would require more clinical research, Wilson decided to step down.
"The concept of expanding the scope of the institute into emerging new
areas such as stem cells is truly exciting," Wilson said in an e-mail
statement Friday. "I will do whatever I can to support these initiatives."
"The promise of gene therapy appears to be one of the many promising
therapies these days," University President Judith Rodin said. "We
want to broaden our approach and continue our translational research and have
investigatory work across the field and learn from one another."
Wilson, who will continue on as the chairman and professor of the Molecular
and Cellular Engineering Department, said in his statement that he plans to
dedicate more time to teaching and to work on research for new and improved
gene delivery devices for the treatment of a variety of genetic diseases.
"This has nothing to do with Wilson's faculty position and tenure,"
Rubenstein said of Wilson's resignation. "He will go on working on the
basic science of gene therapy as an individual faculty member."
Rubenstein added that a replacement for Wilson has yet to be named.
And according to Rubenstein, Wilson's resignation had nothing to do with
the Gelsinger case.
"That was resolved independently of this," he said.
However, for Paul Gelsinger, Jesse's father, the case is far from resolved.
"It all seems pretty political to me, and is two years past due,"
Gelsinger said of Wilson's decision to resign. "It was a move on Penn's
part to get Wilson out of the forefront because he is not a good manager and
his style has caused several employees to leave IHGT."
"Penn needs to publicly apologize," Gelsinger added. "Until
that happens, the healing process for the Institute and for us can not be
concluded."
The Gelsinger family's attorney, Alan Milstein, who represented the family
in its now-settled lawsuit against Penn, Wilson and others, echoed his client's
sentiments.
"This action rings fairly hollow with us," he said. "The Gelsinger
family and I have been surprised and disappointed at the seeming lack of any
consequence to Wilson for the misdeeds that led to the death of Jesse Gelsinger."
On May 3, NBC's Dateline will air a segment on the ongoing saga surrounding
the Gelsinger case.
