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USC Vs. UC San Diego In Fight Over Alzheimer's Research

Posted by samzenpus on from the mine-now dept.

New submitter BVBigelow writes: In Southern California, a legal skirmish between USC and UC San Diego is escalating into into a full-blown fracas, replete with restraining orders, loyalty oaths, and accusations of computer piracy, intimidation, and interference in federal grant awards. The two universities are fighting over control of an Alzheimer's program that coordinates about $100 million in research grants. The lawsuits began after USC recruited scientist Paul Aisen from UC San Diego, where he has been director of the Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study since 2007. The study has been based at UC San Diego since 1991, and and UCSD expected to retain control. But Aisen's team took root command of the computer system (including 24 years' worth of clinical trial data) and won't give it back.

3 of 120 comments (clear)

  1. Backups -- not just for hardware failures by Wrath0fb0b · · Score: 3, Insightful

    All that clinical data better be on tape somewhere amirite?

  2. Re:Seems easy to me by gstoddart · · Score: 5, Insightful

    But, honestly, without being familiar with all the details:

    UC San Diego hired Aisen in 2007 to administer the program, which coordinates Alzheimer's research throughout the U.S. and Canada. UC San Diego founded the study in 1991 as a kind of joint venture with the National Institute on Aging, with funding provided by federal research grants, the pharmaceutical industry, and private foundations.

    Hired to administer an existing program ... that sort of screams you can't suddenly claim ownership of it and bring it with you when you leave.

    If this many players have been involved that long, one guy can't suddenly claim it's his and lock everybody else out.

    --
    Lost at C:>. Found at C.
  3. Re:Grants to Researchers vs Institutions by skr95062 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This program has been in existence since 1991. The professor has been in charge of the program since 2007. Please enlighten us as to how all of the data can be his when he has only been in charge of the program for 7-8 years of it's 24 year existence. If anything he would only have a right to the past 7-8 years worth of data not the other 17 years of data that was collected before he joined the project.