GMW: S.Korea cell scientist faked results-collaborator

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GMW: S.Korea cell scientist faked results-collaborator

" GM WATCH " <info

Thu, 15 Dec 2005 17:14:43 GMT

 

 

 

 

 

GM WATCH daily

http://www.gmwatch.org

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If these allegations turn out to be true, then it's a powerful warning

as to what can happen during the pursuit of science's glittering

prizes. And there's already evidence a plenty as to what can happen when

there's money involved!

 

" All policymakers must be vigilant to the possibility of research data

being manipulated by corporate bodies and of scientific colleagues

being seduced by the material charms of industry. Trust is no defence

against an aggressively deceptive corporate sector. " - The Lancet

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S.Korea cell scientist faked results-collaborator

Thu Dec 15, 2005

http://today.reuters.co.uk/News/NewsArticle.aspx?type=scienceNews & storyID=2005-1\

2-15T132417Z_01_MCC548209_RTRIDST_0_SCIENCE-SCIENCE-KOREA-CLONING-DC.XML

 

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's most renowned stem cell scientist

fabricated key parts of a ground-breaking paper and is seeking to have

the

work withdrawn, a close collaborator told South Korean media on

Thursday.

 

The daily newspaper Hankyoreh and three South Korean television

networks quoted Roh Sung-il as saying that he, stem cell scientist Hwang

Woo-suk and another co-author of the landmark 2005 Science paper on

tailor-made stem cells had notified the journal that they were

withdrawing the

paper.

 

" Professor Hwang admitted to fabrication, " Roh said in an appearance on

MBC television. Roh, a specialist in fertility studies, was referring

to a meeting he had with Hwang earlier in the day.

 

Repeated attempts to reach Hwang and his other team members were not

immediately successful.

 

Another television network, KBS, quoted Roh as saying: " I agreed with

Hwang to ask for it (the paper) to be withdrawn. "

 

Roh told South Korean media that nine of the 11 stem cell lines that

were part of the tailored stem study paper were fabricated and the

authenticity of the other two lines was questionable.

 

Science, a leading academic journal, could not be reached for comment.

 

Hwang's research team has dismissed previous reports questioning his

research and said its work was vetted by a rigorous system of peer review

prior to publication.

 

On Tuesday, a U.S. stem cell expert who lent his name and credibility

to South Korean cloning pioneers asked that his name be removed from

their landmark scientific paper.

 

Dr. Gerald Schatten of the University of Pittsburgh asked Science to

take his name off a human cloning study published by Hwang and colleagues

at Seoul National University.

 

Hwang is best known in scientific circles for cloning the first human

embryos for research and the landmark study published earlier this year

about developing tailored stem cells that could lead one day to cures

for ailments such as severe spinal cord injuries. Hwang's team also

created the world's first cloned dog.

 

Hwang has been at the center of a media storm since November 24 when he

apologized for two junior women researchers donating their eggs for his

work and for not releasing information about the incident promptly.

 

The international scientific community frowns on donations by

researchers because of possible coercion.

 

Hwang is considered a hero in South Korea for bringing the country to

the forefront of stem cell and cloning studies.

 

 

 

 

 

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