Wellcome governor under investigation

The furore surrounding Roy Anderson, the suspended professor of zoology at Oxford University and a governor of the Wellcome Trust, has intensified as it emerged his business interests are under investigation.

The internationally respected scientist has been suspended from his duties at Oxford, which includes directorship of the Wellcome Trust centre for the epidemiology of infectious diseases, following allegations of inappropriate behaviour after the appointment of a faculty member.

The journal Nature this week alleges the new investigation includes a probe into Professor Anderson's (above) involvement with a consultancy firm called International Biomedical and Health Sciences Consortium.

The business is based in the Oxford Science Park and Professor Anderson is said to be one of its directors and to own a third of its shares.

There are suggestions that this commercial role may compromise Wellcome Trust rules.