A week after the Board of Directors of the National Center for Cancer Research (CNIO) decided to restructure the economic field to put an end to the crisis that kept the institution in a state of suspense, nothing has changed.
Literally, nothing. Employees affected by this restructuring continue to work normally. No one has received any communication about his future.
“There was no connection at all,” explains one of the researchers from the foundation. “I met the manager in the lobby and asked him, but he didn’t explain anything to me.”
Sources from the center explained to EL ESPAÑOL that there were interactions between the technical director, Jose Manuel BernabeAnd the workers affected by the restructuring without mentioning that or their future.
Last Tuesday, November 25, the Board met urgently to address the CNIO crisis.
It was agreed to abolish three positions from the economic structure: Undersecretary of the Directorate of Economic Affairs, Secretary, and Deputy Administration.
The first of them appears Juan ArroyoHe served as director of the center until January 29, when he was dismissed along with former scientific director Maria Blasko.
Arroyo has also come into the spotlight due to a complaint filed by a former CNIO employee, who was fired last August, accusing him of “masterminding” the embezzlement of up to 25 million euros in exchange for rigged contracts that fell to friendly companies.
The other two positions are held by the people Arroyo most trusts. With the dismissal, the board sought to clear the slate at the CNIO while the complaint, which was also accepted for processing last week, continues its legal path.
But nothing could be further from the truth. “There are people who become very stressed and reprimand workers,” says one researcher. “Several people have called the centre’s contact numbers to abuse and have also sent emails.”
Workers are afraid and tensions continue to rise, including new threats of lawsuits.
Staff met last Wednesday, one day after the board meeting, to underscore their work in turbulent times at the center that are unrelated to the investigation.
In a statement, researchers, scientific and technical staff expressed their “deep indignation” about the situation at the center and reaffirmed their commitment to research and transparency.
The CNIO was the crown jewel of Spanish biomedical science, and at the European forefront of cancer research.
CNIO crisis
But a year ago, several of the group’s leaders took it a step further and asked the Minister of Science, Diana Morantreplacing Maria Blasco at the head of the center, which was burdened by the economic decline that prevented the acquisition of even the most basic equipment.
At the same time, it revealed financing bets that were not successful (CNIO Arte), a stifling atmosphere with accusations of harassment and abuse… The situation seemed unbearable and Blasco accused the then artistic director, Juan Arroyo.
On January 29, the CNIO Board of Directors decided to dismiss both of them, who returned to their old positions: Blasco, as Leader of the Telomere and Telomerase Group, and Arroyo as Deputy Director of Economic Affairs.
In March, an international competition was launched to elect the new Scientific Director and the new Director. Meanwhile, internal staff took on temporary duties.
During that period, a senior official was collecting information about suspicious contracts, which spanned nearly two decades. Due to the negativity of his superiors, he decided to refer the matter to the anti-corruption agency and inform the Ministry of Science.
This worker was fired in August after a disciplinary action, along with another person he trusted. Ciencia acknowledged receipt of the letter but did not send it to the board, which met at least twice without being informed of the complaint.
With the appointment of new scientific director Raul Rabadan and director José Manuel Bernabé, the center seemed to have begun a new era, but in November the news of the complaint spread… and it started all over again.
Once again, an emergency council meeting. Once again a strong decision: canceling three positions from the economic organizational structure, as well as announcing the submission of a management report by the new director.
However, after a week, It seems as if this meeting did not exist.. While the dismissals were notified immediately on January 29 (with a 15-day notice for those affected), nothing is now known about them.
“They didn’t tell us anything, and these people are still there,” another researcher complained. “Someone sent a Email On Sunday evening, he signed the position he held before the dismissal.
Another is “angry because the presumption of innocence is not respected and the news is mixed.”
He points to previous complaints directed at Juan Arroyo and his entourage regarding suspicious contracts in 2017 and 2018, which were dismissed. The current complaint would expand these events to additional years and add more information.
The day after the Council’s decision was announced, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation into alleged irregularities at the centre.
The CNIO’s governing body will meet again next week, where it will evaluate the action plan prepared by Raul Rabadan and José Manuel Bernabe.
If the second has been in office since September 1, The first won’t join until next springSince he has obligations to fulfill with Columbia University (USA), his current employer.
However, he has visited Spain several times and has been actively working on a business plan with Burnaby.
Although the announcement of his joining the scientific direction of the CNIO was received with enthusiasm, this seems to have faded in recent weeks.
“There is a very bad atmosphere and a lot of frustration,” admits the group leader. “The units take about twice as long to do things as before.”
All researchers who spoke to this newspaper confirm their desire to overcome the situation and be able to work at the same pace as before, but the crisis has taken its toll. “This is all very sad.”