(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) One of the scientists most frequently cited in congressional scrutiny over COVID-19 origins announced his retirement Tuesday — just one day before Sen. Rand Paul held a hearing focused on gain-of-function research.
Dr. Ralph S. Baric, a professor of epidemiology at UNC-Chapel Hill, is set to retire in June, according to an email statement to faculty and staff, as reported by North Carolina outlet The Assembly.
“Dr. Baric has been responsible for creating pioneering life-saving treatments, important diagnostic advancements and vaccines that are used around the world,” UNC official Nancy Messonnier wrote, as quoted by the outlet.
Despite the praise, Baric has been a central figure in congressional criticism of U.S.-funded coronavirus research due to his long-running work on coronaviruses and research ties to Wuhan, China.
In a 2021 press release, Paul’s office specifically cited Baric’s collaboration with Wuhan-based virologist Shi Zhengli, alleging the two worked to create “super viruses.”
“For years, Dr. Ralph Baric, a virologist in the U.S. has been collaborating with Dr. Shi Zhengli of the Wuhan Virology Institute, sharing his discoveries about how to create super viruses,” Paul’s office wrote.
“During their research, Dr. Baric and Dr. Shi worked together to insert bat virus spike protein into the backbone of the deadly SARS virus and then used the man-made super virus to infect human airway cells,” the office added.
Paul said Baric’s work was directly funded by tax dollars administered by disgraced former NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci. The senator again highlighted Baric in his opening remarks during a Wednesday hearing on the “multi-agency cover-up of COVID-19 and gain-of-function research.”
Baric’s role has also been tied to the Biological Sciences Experts Group (BSEG), a panel under the Office of the Director of National Intelligence that was intended to advise the intelligence community on biological threats.
Paul called out the arrangement on Wednesday, describing a circular system marked by apparent conflicts of interest:
“So, the scientists commissioned to investigate COVID origins were, in some cases, the very scientists who were complicit in the gain of function experiments that may have created COVID.
“In essence, the intelligence community pays researchers to review work and write papers. NIH funds their grants. The CIA consults them and gives them access to classified information. The National Academies publishes their work. Policymakers then cite the result as consensus.
“At the center of the government side of this circle was Dr. Anthony Fauci.”
Read full article here