SEOUL, South Korea, Dec. 16 - An embattled South Korean scientist struck back at his critics on Friday, declaring that his pioneering technology for cloning stem cells works and that he will produce proof within two weeks.
Cell Researcher's Retraction Leaves Vexing Questions (December 17, 2005)
"There is no doubt that we produced 11 patient-specific stem cells and possess the core technology to create them again," Hwang Woo Suk, the embattled research leader, said at a news conference at the Seoul National University here, speaking of the technique his laboratory had developed to reproduce tailor-made human cell lines.
A national hero last summer for apparently cloning a dog and making South Korea a world leader in stem cell research, the 53-year-old veterinarian appeared somber and tense after a monthlong barrage of attacks on his work, many by former colleagues.
On Thursday, Roh Sung Il, a former close collaborator and co-author of a scientific paper, said Dr. Hwang had admitted that 9 of the 11 stem lines had been faked. In one concession, Dr. Hwang announced Friday that he had asked the American journal Science to withdraw an article published on June 17 that reported the creation of the 11 cell batches.
The journal said Friday that it had agreed to the request. "Science's stated policy is that all authors must agree to any retraction," it said in a statement, "and Dr. Hwang has assured us that he is contacting his co-authors. Science editors will honor the authors' request and assist them in preparing a retraction."
Dr. Hwang had conceded problems with some of the data in the article, said Donald Kennedy, editor in chief of Science, adding, "There is certainly no basis right now for a charge of scientific misconduct."
Though Dr. Hwang stood by the basic science, he acknowledged problems with photographs supplied as supporting evidence, saying, "I, as the lead researcher of the paper, take full responsibility for the serious deficiencies in such areas as photos."
Stem cell science has raised hopes around the world that cell colonies can be produced for individual patients, possibly allowing the growth of replacement tissues that could, for example, reverse Alzheimer's or repair severed spinal cords.
Addressing questions about whether the 11 stem cell lines were actually cloned or were simply ordinary embryonic cell lines, Dr. Hwang said that 6 had been contaminated by fungus in January and had been destroyed. He said that 5 others had been frozen for future reference.
These cell colonies are being slowly thawed and will be ready for DNA testing in 10 days, he said, adding that lab notes and microscope photos would further bolster his claims that he cloned the stem cell lines.
"If you give me minimum time and understanding, we can show this," he appealed at the news conference, televised live through this nation where science and scientists are held in high regard. "Our core technology does not go defunct. I will verify it throughout the whole process."
Addressing the kind of jostling news conference normally associated with rock stars, the charismatic veterinarian apologized to the nation, saying, "We discovered later on that there was poor management and many mistakes, and I feel a grave responsibility as a chief of the research team."
On the campus of Ewha Women's University, Do Hyun Kim, a student, lamented after watching the news conference on television: "It's a horrible mess. I feel bad for Hwang Woo Suk. I feel bad for Korea because this is so embarrassing."
In dueling news conference, Dr. Roh, his former colleague and now rival, immediately mounted a rebuttal. He told reporters that Dr. Hwang was a "liar" who was trying to shift blame to a junior team member who had complained to a television reporter about faked photographs for the 11 cell groups.
"Professor Hwang is trying to make a sacrifice of the researcher," Dr. Roh said. "I feel terrible about Hwang's attempt at passing the buck."
Dr. Roh, who once supplied human eggs from his fertility clinic, MizMedi Women's Hospital, said, "I heard a shocking fact from Hwang that none of the stem cell lines had successfully grown, and that they had been replaced with stem cells grown by MizMedi from fertilized eggs."
He said in tears: "Today is a day of national humiliation for our country's scientists. Dr. Hwang is a narrow-minded man who doesn't have the courage to admit that his paper was made with fabrication."
Earlier in the day, Dr. Hwang kept his emotions tightly in check, but he hinted that MizMedi technicians might have switched cell samples in his lab.
"I am desperate to find out who switched the samples for what motive and how," he said. "We sincerely ask the authorities to start a prompt investigation."
With many South Koreans believing that the scientific reputation of their nation is at stake, Seoul National University announced Friday that the fraud allegations would be investigated by a new special committee, composed of seven members from the university and two from other South Korean institutions.
"Today is a day of national disgrace," said Lee Wang Jae, a Seoul National professor who has pushed for an inquiry into his colleague's research.
Seoul National, often considered the nation's leading university, also has promised to cooperate with the University of Pittsburgh, which is examining Dr. Hwang's work. One month ago, Gerald Schatten, a University of Pittsburgh researcher, ended a collaboration with Dr. Hwang, citing concerns about the South Korean's work.
Underlining national concern over the fraud allegations, Prime Minister Lee Hae Chan presided over an emergency meeting on Friday attended by the science and technology minister, Oh Myung, and the health minister, Kim Keun Tae.
"The government will continue supporting the country's promising biotechnology researchers independent of the Hwang case," Kim Chang Ho, head of the Government Information Agency, said after the meeting. The government had promised to spend $112 million on Dr. Hwang's work through 2012.
Outside the Veterinary School on Friday, construction workers could be seen building a new laboratory building.
Despite this renewal of official support, South Korea's stock market index, the Kospi, fell by 1.2 percent on Friday, its biggest drop in a month. L.G. Life Sciences, a maker of biotechnology products, fell by 6.7 percent. The Korea Medicine Index dropped 5.7 percent, the biggest decline among the market's 19 industry groups.
The science scandal may also have political echoes. This year South Korea's president, Roh Moo Hyun, has sought to boost his slumping popularity by backing Dr. Hwang. Earlier this year, the government awarded Dr. Hwang the title of "supreme scientist."
"What Roh was looking for was the platform for him to gain political stature and regain popularity," Jasper Kim, a Korea Herald columnist, said Friday. "But this backfired against him."
At Seoul National on Friday, the news of the fraud allegations thoroughly penetrated the insular world of a high-pressure university at exam time. "Some students are very disappointed, some are trying not to believe it," said Lee Hyun Jae, a 24-year-old business administration student, over a ham and cheese sandwich in a chilly student lounge. "Everyone is talking about it. He was a hero, a respectable scientist."
Kim Yang Hee, a 26-year-old education student, said: "Even before this, I tended to feel that Koreans put too much focus on the results of things, and less focus on the process, on the transparency of the process. Korea is always hung up on being No. 1 in the world."
