Korean Scientist Faked Human Cloning Research

South Korea’s fallen scientific hero Hwang Woo-suk faked all of his landmark claims to have cloned human embryonic stem cells, his university said today.

Seoul National University said Mr Hwang - once lauded around the world as a human stem cell research pioneer - had carried out a brazen scam that deserved punishment.

The university’s latest report into Mr Hwang’s work added to the huge damage that has already been done to his reputation in recent weeks.

Last month an earlier report by the university revealed that Mr Hwang’s claim to have efficiently developed 11 patient-specific stem cell lines was false. The university said there was no evidence to back up his claims, which were made in an article for the journal Science in 2005.

Many scientists saw this as a huge blow as it was hoped that creating patient-specific stem cell lines would eventually mean an individual’s skin cells could be used to make a cloned embryo and from that extract kidney, liver or heart stem cells. These cells could then be used to replace diseased tissue - with no fear of organ rejection - and cure diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes.

In its report today, the nine-member investigating panel at the university also disputed claims made in an earlier article for Science in 2004 in which Mr Hwang claimed that he cloned a human embryo and extracted stem cells from it.

Despite years of international research, Mr Hwang was the only person to have claimed success in extracting the cells from an embryo. But today’s report said Mr Hwang "did not have any proof to show that cloned embryonic stem cells were ever created".

The report said: "The 2004 paper was written on fabricated data to show that the stem cells match the DNA of the provider although they didn’t."

However, the panel did uphold last year’s claim by Mr Hwang, who was originally trained as a veterinarian, that that he created the world’s first cloned dog, an Afghan hound named Snuppy.

But despite his success with Snuppy, the reputation of Mr Hwang - once dubbed "the pride of Korea" - in the human cloning field now appears to be ruined.

He has also been criticized for using eggs donated by junior researchers on his team in his studies, while claiming all the eggs were donated from outside sources.

He conceded in November that two scientists had donated eggs without his knowledge and that other women were paid to take fertility drugs to produce eggs for research. Both practices are viewed as coercive and unethical.

The university panel said today that one of the two researchers who donated eggs said Mr Hwang accompanied her to a clinic for the procedure. Mr Hwang also received letters from female scientists on his team pledging to donate eggs, the panel said.

Mr Hwang has not made any public appearances since last month when he said he would resign his faculty position, and his whereabouts are unknown. He has claimed that, despite any scandal over faked results, he has the technology to clone stem cells.

Today the university condemned his fabrications. The report said: "This conduct cannot but be seen as an act that fools the whole scientific community and the public. Just based on the facts of the fabrications that have been disclosed, the penalty has to be severe."

South Korean prosecutors are preparing their own investigation. Reports in South Korea claim Mr Hwang, who received massive government funding for his research, may also face charges of misappropriation of funds.

He has suffered a remarkable fall from grace in recent months after being designated the country’s first-ever "top scientist" in June by the government and winning special funding. Korean Air even gave Mr Hwang and his wife free first-class flights for a decade, calling the scientist a "national treasure".

One stem cell scientist, Park Se-pill, who heads the Maria Infertility Medical Institute in Seoul, said today Mr Hwang’s fabrications were only a temporary setback that could "serve as an opportunity for other scientists to expedite research in the area".

But other scientists have been less upbeat. Last month, Kevin Eggan of Harvard University said: "We’re back to wondering whether cloning can be done in humans. This is an enormous setback."

Many had pinned hope on Mr Hwang’s work because human stem-cell research is banned or restricted in most countries around the world, including the United States. As well as South Korea, some stem cell research is carried out in the UK, some Scandinavian countries, Japan and South Africa.

Alison Murdoch, the Newcastle University researcher who leads Britain’s cloning efforts, has complained that Mr Hwang’s fraudulent work diverted scientists from other approaches that might have produced crucial developments.