Media: Brain scientist faked lab reports, lied

Laboratory experiments with rats that were supposed to have supported neuro-scientist Milena Penkowa’s doctoral research in 2003 may never, actually, have taken place. This is according to Danish weekly Weekendavisen. The University of Copenhagen has now opted to press police charges against her for forgery of documents.

»It looks like we have been defrauded. And the documents that we were given a copy of in 2003, were just constructed for the occasion. We have therefore decided to file police charges against Milena Penkowa for forgery of documents,« Rector Ralf Hemmingsen says to Weekendavisen.

According to the media report, Milena Penkowa forged papers from a US firm verifying that she had carried out the lab rat experiments.

Lied about death in the family

In a document sent to the committee evaluating her dissertation, Milena Penkowa apparently also claimed that her parents had just been killed in a car accident.

»Wednesday 14 May, my mother and sister crashed in Belgium, since then I have spent alot of time in the hospital and in connection with the funeral,« Milena Penkowa then wrote.

But, according to Weekendavisen, both her mother and sister are alive. Her mother was even on the guest list when Penkowa was awarded a research prize by Crown Princess Mary in 2009.

miy@adm.ku.dk