Posted on 12/26/2005 10:10:53 AM PST by NormsRevenge
SEOUL - Patient-specific stem cells that disgraced South Korean cloning expert Hwang Woo-Suk said he had produced this year do not exist, investigators have concluded, according to a news report Monday.
A panel at Seoul National University, which allowed DNA tests to be conducted to verify Hwang's research published in the US journal Science, said there was no evidence to support the existence of tailored stem cells, Yonhap news agency said.
"There were no such patient-specific stem cells as in the 2005 paper of Science," it said, without naming its source, while adding the panel had been analyzing the DNA tests since Saturday.
University officials refused to confirm the report. "We have not reached a final conclusion. A briefing is due on Thursday," a university official told AFP.
The panel reported last week Hwang had doctored data and photographs of two stem cell lines to make it appear as though his team had cultivated 11 tailored stem cell lines as suggested in the research paper.
It then shelved a conclusion on the veracity of the two stem cell lines, pending the outcome of DNA analysis by three other independent institutes.
Hwang has consistently said he created tailored stem cells.
But the issue has cast doubt on the authenticity of Hwang's other work, including a 2004 research paper on producing the world's first cloned embryonic stem cell and Snuppy -- an Afghan hound that the professor unveiled in August as the world's first cloned dog.
Stem cells refer to master cells that experts believe can grow into any organ and thus someday help fight cancer and other hard-to-treat diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and diabetes.
The panel quizzed Kim Seon-Jeong, a former key researcher on Hwang's team, on Sunday, as he has said he faked data for Hwang's 2005 paper on the orders of his then boss, according to Yonhap.
Seoul's MBC television network said earlier this month that the so-called patient-specific stem cells did not genetically match donor cells.
Hwang said he suspected that his tailored stem cells had been swapped and replaced with ordinary stem cells by Kim.
Kim has repeatedly denied Hwang's allegations.
BURT HERMAN, Associated Press
SEOUL, South Korea - South Korea's top university said Monday it has received some DNA test results for its investigation of disgraced stem cell researcher Hwang Woo-suk and it will complete a final report on the findings next week.
The investigation panel at Seoul National University commissioned the DNA tests to determine whether Hwang ever created patient-matched stem cells as he claimed in a May article in the journal Science. On Friday, the panel said at least nine of 11 stem cell lines that Hwang had claimed to create were faked.
Some test results have been received, the panel said in a statement, adding it would take a few more days to get a full analysis. No details of the results have been released so far.
However, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported that the initial results showed the two remaining cell lines, whose authenticity has been in question, were not cloned. Yonhap did not cite a source and the university would not confirm the report.
"It appears unlikely an announcement will be made this week on the outcome of the analysis," the panel said, adding that it would be able to write a final report on its investigation next week.
Last week, Hwang apologized for the scandal and stepped down as professor at the university, but still insisted his team had developed the technology to create patient-matched stem cells, which have the potential to develop into any bodily tissue and raised worldwide hopes of revolutionary cures for hard-to-treat diseases.
Hwang has alleged that some of his stem cells were switched by a researcher at his lab. Hwang filed a legal complaint, asking prosecutors to investigate.
The researcher, Kim Seon-jong, has denied the charges, He was questioned for four hours by the university panel early Sunday.
"We interviewed researcher Kim for a long time as he said he wanted to clear unfair accusations against him," the panel said Monday. "Kim also expressed his intention to comply if the prosecution summons him."
Prosecutors say they are waiting for the university investigation to be completed before launching their own probe.
Looking for a scapegoat already.
"We interviewed researcher Kim for a long time as he said he wanted to clear unfair accusations against him," the panel said Monday. "Kim also expressed his intention to comply if the prosecution summons him."
I hope Kim is squeaky-clean and can be called upon to expose whatever wrongdoing has gone on here.
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