South Korea’s discredited cloning pioneer Hwang Woo-Suk on Thursday admitted his research into stem cells was faked but claimed he was the victim of a conspiracy — the latest twist in his stunning fall from grace.
As the 52-year-old Hwang, once hailed as a national hero and showered with millions of dollars in research grants, delivered a rambling apology to the media, criminal investigators raided his Seoul home and laboratory.
”As the lead author of the papers in which fake data appeared, I hold myself wholly responsible and I admit it and apologise,” said Hwang.
His comments came two days after a panel of university experts found that the scientist had falsified data in research papers published to international acclaim in 2004 and 2005.
The papers, both published in the US journal Science, were considered a major breakthrough in bio-medicine, bringing hope for new treatments of diseases like cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s.
In 2005 Hwang claimed to have derived 11 stem cell lines tailored to specific patients, which are believed to have the potential to reduce the risk of rejection of new organs. In 2004, he said he had derived a stem cell from a human embryo.
But after a month-long probe, the panel of experts from Seoul National University found that Hwang had created no stem cells of any kind and that his research data was fabricated.
Hwang, once named a ”supreme scientist” by South Korea’s government but now stripped of all national honors, remained defiant and claimed he was the victim of a conspiracy by his own researchers.
He said researchers apparently misled him by claiming they had succeeded in producing stem cells.
He said he had created 100 cloned blastocysts, or human embryos, at a very early stage. Nurturing and producing stem cells from the embryos was the job of co-researchers at a Seoul fertility clinic.
”We made more than 100 blastocysts but it turned out that there existed no confirmed stem cell,” Hwang said of his 2005 research.
However, he said that a stem cell had indeed been produced in 2004 from a cloned embryo as claimed, rejecting the findings of the panel of experts on that paper.
Hwang also said he suspected that some stem cell lines he believed had been created for the 2005 paper had been stolen or switched by co-researchers at the Mizmedi fertility clinic.
Hwang said several researchers lied to him about stem cells and he was at fault for not verifying the facts.
”These researchers said repeatedly that they had confirmed the authenticity of stem cell lines for the 2004 and 2005 paper,” he said. ”I made a mistake not to check.”
Meanwhile, about 60 investigators joined by computer experts and genetic analysts raided dozens of locations across Seoul including Hwang’s home and lab, prosecutors said.
”We launched the raids in order to secure evidence as swiftly as possible,” a senior prosecutor said, following news reports that Hwang’s team had erased computer hard disks at his laboratory.
Prosecutors said that thanks to cooperation from 19 internet portal sites, they had been able to recover e-mails exchanged among Hwang and 10 co-researchers.
Investigators removed four crates containing computer records, files and CDs from Hwang’s lab at the Seoul National University and loaded them into vehicles driven away by prosecutors, witnesses said.
Prosecutors have already imposed a ban on overseas trips by the 11 people targeted in the investigation, which is expected to focus on Hwang’s huge research funds and possible fraud or embezzlement.
The government is also launching an ethics probe of Hwang’s work, including allegations that he coerced women to donate their eggs.
The government is desperate to recover from the embarrassment of prematurely clearing Hwang of any wrongdoing in November when allegations against him began to surface.
Kim Guen-Tae, who stepped down as health minister last month, said he shared responsibility for the scandal.
”First as an incumbent government cabinet member I am responsible for failing to inspect and finding the truth rather earlier,” he told reporters. – AFP
