South Korea cloning pioneer denies faking research
(AFP)
Updated: 2005-12-16 14:54

South Korean cloning pioneer Hwang Woo-Suk has denied fabricating key parts of his landmark research on the production of patient-specific stem cells.

But he asked Science, the respected scientific journal, to retract his research paper published in June, saying it was flawed.

South Korea's stem cell scientist Hwang Woo-suk attends a news conference at the Seoul National University in Seoul December 16, 2005. Hwang, whose work is under intense scrutiny, said on Friday he had proof his team had made patient-tailored stem cells this year but the cells had later been badly contaminated.[Reuters]

Hwang, 52 insisted that he created 11 patient-specific stem cell lines from cloned embryos as reported in his paper.

Asked whether he wished to revise information concerning the production of the 11 stem cell lines, he said: "No change."

But he said that there were "irretrievable mistakes in the photography," that accompanied the research paper.

"I requested that Science magazine retract the research paper after getting consent from other co-authors," he told a press conference here.

Hwang said in the study he had cloned 11 human embryos and cultivated patient-specific stem cell lines from them, a major breakthrough in therapeutic stem cell research.

On Thursday Roh Sung-Il, a fertility expert who co-authored Hwang's study published by Science, accused his colleague of fabrication.

In media interviews Roh said at least nine out of the 11 stem cell lines never existed.

"Of the 11 stem cell lines, at least nine are faked and the veracity of the two others has yet to be confirmed," he said.

Gaunt and unsmiling, Hwang read a lengthy statement rebutting the allegations before answering questions.

"What I can say clearly is that we have produced patient-specific stem cells and we have the technology to do so," he said.

Hwang said that of the 11 stem cell lines, six had perished due to contamination and five other lines were frozen but could be revived.

South Korean cloning pioneer Hwang Woo-Suk (R) has denied fabricating key parts of his landmark research on the production of patient-specific stem cell. [AFP/File]

He said they were being thawed and would be ready for testing within 10 days to prove the veracity of his research.

He added that he would welcome a probe by prosecutors to determine whether any wrongdoing took place.

Seoul National University has already launched an investigation into Hwang's work led by Lee Wang-Jae, a senior medical researcher.

Last month Hwang admitted using human eggs donated by junior researchers, violating internationally accepted ethical standards.

But the credibility of his entire research was challenged by allegations that the stem cells he claimed to have produced did not match donor cells and that photographs illustrating Hwang's research in Science had been faked.