Key Points:
Richard Axel resigned from leadership at Columbia University on February 24, 2026.
His name appeared repeatedly in newly released Jeffrey Epstein files.
He stepped down from the Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
Axel called the association a “serious error in judgment.”
Columbia said it found no policy or legal violations.
NEW YORK: Richard Axel resigned on February 24, 2026, from his leadership role at Columbia University following revelations in newly released files connected to Jeffrey Epstein. The documents detailed years of contact between Axel and Epstein, prompting public scrutiny and institutional response.
Axel stepped down as co director of the Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, a major neuroscience research center at Columbia. He also resigned as an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. In his statement, Axel said he would continue focusing on research and teaching within his laboratory.
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In a written statement released February 24, Axel described his past association with Epstein as a “serious error in judgment.” He said he deeply regretted the relationship and acknowledged that it compromised the trust of students, colleagues, and friends.
Axel added that what has since emerged about Epstein’s conduct made the association even more painful and inexcusable. He said he was committed to rebuilding trust within the academic community.
The files, released by the U.S. Department of Justice, contain millions of pages of correspondence and records tied to Epstein’s network. Reporting from The Guardian, The Hill, and The New York Times revealed that Axel’s name appeared numerous times in documents spanning at least 2010 through 2019. That period followed Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
Among the documents was a December 30, 2011, one way ticket listing Axel and his wife, neuroscientist Cornelia Bargmann, departing from St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. St. Thomas is a common transit point for travel to Epstein’s private island, Little St. James. The reporting stated that the ticket was later voided, and Columbia representatives said Axel and Bargmann did not travel to the island.
The files reportedly included extensive correspondence between Axel and Epstein. However, the coverage did not allege criminal wrongdoing by Axel.
Columbia University stated that it found no evidence Axel violated university policy or the law. The institution acknowledged his decades of contributions to neuroscience and to the university’s research mission.
In its statement, Columbia confirmed Axel’s resignation from the Zuckerman Institute leadership post and recognized his long tenure at the university, where he has taught for more than 50 years. The university also noted that the Howard Hughes Medical Institute would continue supporting members of Axel’s laboratory so they can complete ongoing research projects.
The release of the files has triggered renewed examination of academic ties to the late financier, who maintained relationships across science, finance, and politics.
(Rh/ARC)