Stem cell research to be probed
2005-12-12 10:34
Seoul - South Korean cloning pioneer Hwang Woo-Suk returned to work on Monday after an 18-day absence as a probe was launched here into the authenticity of his landmark research.
Hwang went into hiding on November 24 after confessing at a televised news conference to ethical lapses in his stem cell research and has spent several days in hospital recovering from stress and exhaustion, his aides and officials said.
His return coincided with an announcement by Seoul National University of the launch of a special investigation into allegations of misconduct in his recent breakthrough research.
Hwang arrived at his laboratory at the university on Monday, emerging in public for the first time since the press conference when he admitted that two of his staff had donated their eggs for his research, in violation of internationally accepted standards of medical ethics.
Research authenticity to be verified
"I feel sorry for causing trouble to people," Hwang said, according to Yonhap news agency.
"I will work hard on stem cell research and will sincerely comply with the Seoul National University's investigation."
Hwang asked the university on Sunday to scrutinise his stem cell research to verify its authenticity, amid questions about his work published this year on creating the world's first patient-specific stem cells.
"Accepting the request of professor Hwang's team, the university is launching an investigation committee to verify questions about its research," said Roe Jung-Hye, dean of research affairs at the university.
Roe promised a thorough and fair review by the panel, which she said would largely consist of Seoul National University faculty members, although it could also include outside experts.
The panel will review Kwang's research data, including photographs and DNA fingerprints of 11 stem cell lines produced by Hwang's team, to verify their authenticity, she said.
Interviews with researchers will also follow, she added.
More charges against Hwang
Hwang offered to resign from his official posts on November and apologised for covering up the fact that two of his junior researchers had donated their own eggs for his breakthrough research.
Later, however, more explosive charges accusing Hwang of serious misconduct emerged.
Hwang reported in an article in the US journal Science in June that he had cloned 11 human embryos and had harvested 11 stem cell lines from them.
Allegations have emerged that the stem cells were not derived from the original patients and photographs accompanying the research paper may have been doctored. Hwang's team has flatly denied the claim.
In February 2004 Hwang produced the first stem cells from a cloned human embryo. He followed up in May 2005 by producing stem cells genetically matched to specific individuals from cloned embryos.