Top Scientist Accused of Faking Stem Cell Findings
SEOUL — South Korean scientist Hwang Woo Suk, who rose to international prominence for his breakthrough research creating the first embryonic stem cells tailored to individual patients, was accused by collaborators Thursday of fabricating results in his landmark study.
Dr. Roh Sung Il, the chairman of Seoul's MizMedi Hospital, told South Korea's KBS television that Hwang had admitted to him that some of the published research was faked.
Hwang responded today by insisting that his results were real. However, the beleaguered researcher told a packed auditorium that the stem cells described in his study were no longer available because they had been contaminated and died.
He apologized to the nation and his fellow researchers for the controversy surrounding his work and pledged to authenticate his results by creating new stem cells lines within two weeks.
In the meantime, Hwang said, he asked the journal Science, which published his research in May, to retract his 11-page study because it was so tarnished.
But Hwang's statements seemed to ensure that the uncertainty would continue.
"If it's true, it's going to go down as probably the biggest scandal in science," said Insoo Hyun, a bioethicist at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, who spent this summer in Hwang's lab.
The accusations may be a setback for those who had hoped Hwang's work would lead to cures for patients suffering from spinal cord injuries, strokes and such diseases as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and diabetes.
It is also considered an embarrassment to South Korea, where Hwang is regarded as a national hero for propelling the country to the forefront of stem cell research.
Hwang's paper purported to show the creation of 11 human embryo clones using DNA from injured or sick patients.
According to the paper, the embryos were used to create individualized stem cell lines -- an achievement that offered the possibility of creating personalized stem cell therapies for anyone.
Scientists around the world flocked to Hwang's laboratory at Seoul National University.
The South Korean government agreed to bankroll his research to the tune of millions of dollars, and thousands of women volunteered to contribute to Hwang's research by donating their eggs.
But on Thursday night, Lee Wang Jae, the university's associate dean for research affairs, told the South Korean media that nine of the 11 cell lines did not exist and that the validity of the other two was in doubt.
- S. Korea Scientist Questioned in Fraud Probe Mar 03, 2006
- Disgraced South Korean to Resume Cloning Work Jul 01, 2006
- Disgraced Scientist Loses Stem Cell Research License Mar 17, 2006
