Fumes from Denmark

The first paragraphs of an interesting article about purported scientific fraud in Denmark are below. The whole article should be read--fascinating stuff.

"Denmark has been rocked by a science fraud case involving Milena Penkowa, a high-profile professor of medicine specialising in brain research. The case has also embroiled the rector of Copenhagen University, the previous minister of science and a number of co-authors, and has undermined the public view of science.

Penkowa, 37, is under investigation by the police for allegedly falsifying research protocols in animal experiments for her DMSc thesis submitted in 2001 and rejected in 2003. In 2004 she submitted another doctoral thesis, which in 2006 was defended publicly resulting in her DMSc degree.

She was suspended in April 2010 from her position as professor and research group leader in the neuroprotection section of the faculty of health sciences at Copenhagen University, and later left that post.

Minister of Science Charlotte Sahl-Madsen had to answer questions in parliament for a panel investigating the case, and ordered Copenhagen University to clarify all matters in the case of Penkowa's doctoral thesis and subsequent suspicions of falsification of scientific articles.

Following a media outcry that started last year, she is now also under investigation by the police. Penkowa has several times refuted all accusations in what is developing into the largest Danish scientific fraud case ever.

She has maintained a high media profile, giving interviews on television and to newspapers and women's magazines. Penkowa claims that the negative reactions towards her are due to professional envy and the Scandinavian 'Law of Jante', an unwritten value-nomenclature saying individuals should not expose themselves publically as being better than anybody else.....

Penkowa said the allegations derived primarily from one person, "my counterpart, who in the press is the 'anonymous source' (with different addresses). Nevertheless, I trust that the claims are being handled properly by the proper organs, which remain independent from the press."