A former University of Mississippi professor claims in a lawsuit that he was fired after raising questions about the use of grant funds in the Department of Pharmacology.

Robert C. Speth, the one-time chairman of the Ole Miss department, filed the lawsuit Dec. 12 in U.S. District Court in Oxford. University officials said they would not comment on pending litigation.

Speth alleges that after he questioned how grant funds were used, he received negative employment reviews and was dismissed.

According to the lawsuit, Speth said he discovered in 2007 that some funds from an $11 million biomedical research grant were being used for unauthorized projects and informed school officials.

Speth is seeking lost wages and reinstatement to his old job, among other things.

No trial date has been set.