/ 10 January 2006

Stem cell-research to prevail despite fraud: experts

Stem cell-therapy remains the best long-term hope for suffers of many incurable diseases despite the medical hoax perpetrated by South Korea’s researcher Hwang Woo-Suk, analysts said on Tuesday.

A panel of experts found earlier on Tuesday that Hwang (52) had faked his entire body of research on stem cells which won him international acclaim and millions of dollars in funding.

Analysts said that Hwang’s conduct may put a temporary break on research in the field. But they warned that the episode should not be allowed to lead to the wholesale dismissal of stem cell-study even if there are many obstacles to overcome before this research can result in reliable medical treatment.

Aside from the efforts to produce patient-tailored stem cells from cloned human embryos in which Hwang was involved, there are other kinds of study, said Professor Kim Dong-Wook of Yonsei University in Seoul.

”The study on raising stem cells from cloned human embryos is just a part of stem cell-research. In South Korea alone, there are tens of teams who have been producing good results in stem cell-research,” the stem cell-expert said.

”We don’t have to worry about any earth-shaking impact from Hwang’s scandal on the overall stem cell-study in South Korea and abroad,” he said.

The other types of research include study into adult stem cells that can be found in the human body and stem cells that can be obtained from umbilical cord blood, he said.

Medical research has shown stem cells can develop into replacement cells for damaged organs or body parts.

Unlocking that potential could see cures for diabetes, Altzheimer’s and other diseases that are at present incurable, or even see the body generate new organs to replace damaged or failing ones such as the heart or liver.

He admitted, however, that the research into patient-specific stem cells had gone back to square one as it became clear that Hwang never produced any stem cells from cloned embryos. Producing stem cells specific to individual patients would reduce the risk of rejection of new organs.

”[But] Even if he had succeeded, many obstacles would remain, such as how to lead those stem cells to diversify into necessary body organs, how to prevent them from developing cancer or undergoing genetic changes,” he said.

Catholic University’s Oh Il-Hoan, a bio-engineering expert, said the scientific advances researchers have been making in the past several years in this field would remain intact despite the fraud.

”For example, technology in finding and culturing stem cells into necessary body organs has been developing continuously in recent years,” Oh told AFP.

”You cannot say you don’t believe there will be any building just because all that you see right now is its foundation,” he said.

Scientists have laid down a blueprint in their efforts to develop ways for using stem cells for medical purposes, he said.

South Koreans were gripped by national shame at the fall from grace of Hwang, the one-time national hero whom the government and businesses had previously showered with honors and money.

For the patients hoping to benefit from Hwang’s research, the reaction was even bleaker.

”I think about how I am never going to walk again and I just want to die,” said Park Seung-Yoo, paralysed from the waist down eight years ago in a car crash. ”I had pinned all my hopes on Dr Hwang,” he was quoted as telling the Joongang daily newspaper. – AFP