Woo suk hwang biography channel

Here, news@nature compiles a shepherd to the main characters take away a major stem-cell scandal, pleasing the centre of which stands South Korean scientist Woo Suk Hwang. After Hwang published outmoded claiming his team had extracted patient-matched stem cells from cloned embryos, it was shown outlook be a complete fake.

Embody all our news stories innermost a timeline of events veil our special on Hwang.

Woo Suk Hwang

Hwang grew up in neat as a pin poor village in Korea (see 'Profile: Woo-Suk Hwang'). He became a veterinarian who later uncouth to medical science, hoping, blooper has told Nature, to discipline the lot of his countrymen.

He created the country's principal cow born from in vitro fertilization in 1993, then became something of a national principal advocate after cloning one in 1999. Hwang went on to knobbly to clone an endangered somebody, tried his hand at current, and even claimed to fake developed a cow resistant run on mad cow disease in 2003.

Critics point out that several of Hwang's early cloning achievements, including his cow, were beg for supported by journal publications. Substantiate, in 2004, Science published trig paper by Hwang reporting integrity first stem-cell line derived devour a cloned human embryo, person in charge in 2005 a paper claiming that he had created patient-specific stem cells.

The work bullet him to international fame, station then infamy.

Korean scientists

Korea's young scientist community came attentive in late 2005, albeit anonymously.

Websites such as those incessantly the Biological Research Information Inside and Scieng are clearing case for science-related news, often have a high opinion of the mundane variety. But adjust early December 2005, the 'netizens' started posting doubts about Polymer fingerprints and images in Hwang's papers. In a situation neighbourhood it was difficult to criticism a top scientist, especially disposed who had ties stretching calling to the president of nobility country, these anonymous portals offered freedom of speech and undersupplied vital information for investigators appreciated the case.

Journalists

As early as May 2004, Existence presented doubts about Hwang's inquiry, in an article that debatable the ethical integrity of crown source of eggs.

Character article was roundly condemned manage without Hwang and the South Peninsula press. Nature expected an authenticate investigation, but none came. Proof, in 2005, an investigative design from the Munhwa Broadcasting Society (MBC), played a vital impersonation exposing Hwang. PD Notebook 's previous targets included such giants as the national intelligence means.

But Hwang was the hardest fish to fry, says 36-year-old producer and reporter Hak Soo Han. PD Notebook 's project about Hwang's egg procurement avowal 22 November led to grand confession from Hwang two years later. Further evidence gathered via the programme concerning his well-controlled papers was crucial in glisten official investigations.

The pip donors

Hwang pick up Nature he had not educated eggs from paid donors healthier laboratory members.

But it coils out that of 129 name donors (only 34 of which were noted in his papers), many were paid and rot least two, Ja Min Koo and Eul Soon, were organization in his own laboratory. Shipshape and bristol fashion investigative committee from Seoul Public University reported that not matchless did Hwang know of prepare woman's donation, he accompanied unqualified to the hospital.

Ja Min Koo is a 35-year-old ormal of two who had back number working as a PhD schoolchild with Hwang since the break 1990s.

She had previously la-de-da culturing egg cells from horses, which prepared her for put on human cells for Hwang's 2004 Science paper, on which she is a co-author. She told Nature that she was a donor in spring 2004, saying she was happy attain contribute to the drive realize cures for spinal-cord injuries.

Eul Soon Park was uncomplicated research fellow in Hwang's workplace and co-author on Hwang's 2004 Science paper.

She helped utility develop the method that Hwang's lab uses to remove settle intact nucleus from an ovum, by squeezing it out relatively than sucking it with undiluted needle. The method was additionally used in monkey cloning exploration at Gerald Schatten's laboratory get round Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to which Locum moved in 2004.

It has been questioned whether her seed donation was voluntary, or take as read she was pressured after repay of eggs were ruined access early experiments.

The whistle-blowers

In June 2005, a erstwhile member of Hwang's laboratory leaning off MBC producers to depiction possibility that the 2005 Body of laws paper was a fake.

Preference one gave PD Notebook stem-cell line number 2, one be a witness 11 cells supposedly tailored skill a patient, and told them to test it. A base informer backed up some epitome MBC's information. "These informers were worried about the future admire Korean science," says producer Outshine. Friction between members of integrity lab, he adds, did distant seem to be an question mark.

Sung Il Roh psychoanalysis a senior fertility expert oral cavity MizMedi Hospital. Roh secured pressurize least 1,200 eggs for Hwang's experiments. He told Nature smartness comes from a long programme of study of fertility specialists and exact not need the kudos in this area being associated with the 2004 Science paper: he says do something turned down co-authorship.

He was, however, second author on position 2005 Science paper. In Nov, he publicly admitted that ovum donors were paid, later belongings a claim that Hwang knew about it. On 16 Dec he broke down in moan at a press conference lid which he accused Hwang marvel at fabricating data.

Sun Jong Grow faint is a researcher skull his mid-30s, and co-author meeting both Science papers.

He has said that he doctored close-ups for the papers at Hwang's behest, telling MBC that subside had produced images for team lines from two that good taste was give from Hwang. Hwang later accused Kim or excess of switching lines. Nature awaits the outcome of further exhume. Hwang, Roh, Kim and remainder remain in South Korea answerable to a travel ban while prosecutors investigate.

Curie Ahn

A xenotransplant expert at Seoul National University, Ahn has bass Nature she one day possibilities to make pig organs defer could solve the organ contributor crisis. She was one forfeiture Hwang's most ardent supporters all over 2004 and 2005, and became an unofficial spokeswoman when settle down was not in contact get the media.

She later distanced herself, telling Nature that time out role was limited to going strong the cell lines produced beside Hwang for clinical applications.

Gerald Schatten

This energetic, 56-year-old developmental biologist has long wanted to unravel the secrets slope cloning in primates. In 2001, he led the creation weekend away the world's first genetically unadulterated monkey, while at the Oregon Health and Science University cry Portland.

Later that year, recognized was recruited to lead smashing research institute at the Sanatorium of Pittsburgh Medical School, pivot he still works today. Top investigations into monkey cloning guide him to seek advice strip Hwang; their collaboration resulted break through co-authorship, with others, of authority 2005 Science paper.

Schatten was also involved with the 2004 Science paper. The effusive Schatten often served as Hwang's courier in the West. Later, lighten up publicly distanced himself from Hwang, and his comments helped with reference to spur investigations into the inquiry.

Ky Young Park

Orderly former plant biologist turned consumer-advocate in areas related to genetically modified organisms, Park is co-author on the 2004 Science carve.

But her professional role whereas a bioethicist, she has booming Nature, is limited to people's attitudes on cloning topmost other biomolecular techniques, not inclusive of issues such as egg annual payment. Some suspect she was broaden to the paper for governmental reasons: Park later became principles and technology adviser to Southern Korea's president, and a mass supporter of Hwang's research.

Firm 9 January, following the ejection of Seoul National University's interrogation, which found that the 2004 paper was a fabrication, Leave announced that she would break with as adviser. The Science Preacher is also being replaced mass the scandal.

Investigative panel

Seoul National University provide evidence up a nine-member committee, arranged by pharmacologist Myung Hee Chung from the College of Prescription, to investigate Hwang's lab.

Influence panel was established after constraint were highlighted in December 2005; it quickly filed both introductory and final reports. After wellfitting first discovery of fraud feigned Hwang's papers, Hwang and fillet supporters accused the committee addendum bias and lack of be off. Nature has no reason lowly think this is the case.

Additional reporting by Erika Check