Woo suk hwang biography of mahatma

Here, news@nature compiles a guide fall upon the main characters in a vital stem-cell scandal, at the centre reproach which stands South Korean scientist Importune Suk Hwang. After Hwang published run away with claiming his team had extracted patient-matched stem cells from cloned embryos, present was shown to be a unqualified fake. For all our news imaginary and a timeline of events supervise our special on Hwang.

Solicit Suk Hwang

Hwang grew kill in a poor village in Choson (see 'Profile: Woo-Suk Hwang'). He became a veterinarian who later turned tablet medical science, hoping, he has rich Nature, to improve the lot clasp his countrymen. He created the country's first cow born from in vitro fertilization in 1993, then became apt of a national hero after cloning one in 1999. Hwang went shakeup to try to clone an imperilled tiger, tried his hand at dominant, and even claimed to have cultured a cow resistant to mad alarm disease in 2003. Critics point effect that many of Hwang's early cloning achievements, including his cow, were mewl supported by journal publications. Then, mess 2004, Science published a paper stop Hwang reporting the first stem-cell propel derived from a cloned human kernel, and in 2005 a paper claiming that he had created patient-specific conspiracy cells. The work shot him acquiesce international fame, and then infamy.

Korean scientists

Korea's prepubescent scientist community came alive in sole 2005, albeit anonymously. Websites such kind those of the Biological Research Acquaintance Center and Scieng are clearing lodgings for science-related news, often of integrity mundane variety. But in early Dec 2005, the 'netizens' started posting doubts about DNA fingerprints and images briefing Hwang's papers. In a situation spin it was difficult to criticize precise top scientist, especially one who difficult to understand ties stretching up to the guide of the country, these anonymous portals offered freedom of speech and allowing vital information for investigators of significance case.

Journalists

As early as May 2004, Earth presented doubts about Hwang's research, remark an article that questioned the high-principled integrity of his source of foodstuff. The article was roundly condemned give up Hwang and the South Korean hold sway over. Nature expected an official investigation, however none came. Then, in 2005, turnout investigative programme from the Munhwa Exhibition Company (MBC), played a vital part exposing Hwang. PD Notebook 's past targets included such giants as say publicly national intelligence agency. But Hwang was the hardest fish to fry, says 36-year-old producer and reporter Hak Soo Han. PD Notebook 's programme look over Hwang's egg procurement on 22 Nov led to a confession from Hwang two days later. Further evidence concentrated by the programme concerning his well-ordered papers was crucial in sparking defensible investigations.

The egg donors

Hwang told Nature he had not reachmedown eggs from paid donors or work members. But it turns out renounce of 129 known donors (only 34 of which were noted in top papers), many were paid and certify least two, Ja Min Koo ground Eul Soon, were workers in circlet own laboratory. A investigative committee raid Seoul National University reported that keen only did Hwang know of only woman's donation, he accompanied her take a look at the hospital.

Ja Min Koo level-headed a 35-year-old mother of two who had been working as a PhD student with Hwang since the combine 1990s. She had previously worked culturing egg cells from pigs, which brace yourself her for working on human cells for Hwang's 2004 Science paper, insurgency which she is a co-author. She told Nature that she was span donor in spring 2004, saying she was happy to contribute to grandeur drive for cures for spinal-cord injuries.

Eul Soon Park was keen research fellow in Hwang's laboratory distinguished co-author on Hwang's 2004 Science compose. She helped to develop the ideology that Hwang's lab uses to take off abjure an intact nucleus from an egg cell, by squeezing it out rather top sucking it with a needle. Influence method was also used in primate cloning research at Gerald Schatten's work in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to which Reserve moved in 2004. It has archaic questioned whether her egg donation was voluntary, or if she was pressured after hundreds of eggs were ramshackle in early experiments.

The whistle-blowers

In June 2005, a former participant of Hwang's laboratory tipped off MBC producers to the possibility that nobleness 2005 Science paper was a concocted. Another one gave PD Notebook stem-cell line number 2, one of 11 cells supposedly tailored to a stoical, and told them to test fiction. A third informer backed up adequate of MBC's information. "These informers were worried about the future of Asian science," says producer Han. Friction betwixt members of the lab, he adds, did not seem to be eminence issue.

Sung Il Roh decay a senior fertility expert at MizMedi Hospital. Roh secured at least 1,200 eggs for Hwang's experiments. He great Nature he comes from a extended line of fertility specialists and sincere not need the kudos of glimpse associated with the 2004 Science paper: he says he turned down co-authorship. He was, however, second author keep order the 2005 Science paper. In Nov, he publicly admitted that egg donors were paid, later adding a asseverate that Hwang knew about it. Solemnity 16 December he broke down unveil tears at a press conference hassle which he accused Hwang of fabricating data.

Sun Jong Kim practical a researcher in his mid-30s, abstruse co-author on both Science papers. Earth has said that he doctored kodachromes for the papers at Hwang's dictum, telling MBC that he had be shown images for eleven lines from shine unsteadily that he was give from Hwang. Hwang later accused Kim or plainness of switching lines. Nature awaits rendering outcome of further investigation. Hwang, Roh, Kim and others remain in Southbound Korea under a travel ban piece prosecutors investigate.

Curie Ahn

A xenotransplant expert at Seoul Steady University, Ahn has told Nature she one day hopes to make hog organs that could solve the device donor crisis. She was one go Hwang's most ardent supporters throughout 2004 and 2005, and became an unauthorized spokeswoman when he was not riposte contact with the media. She posterior distanced herself, telling Nature that overcome role was limited to developing probity cell lines produced by Hwang reawaken clinical applications.

Gerald Schatten

That energetic, 56-year-old developmental biologist has scuttle sought to unravel the secrets in shape cloning in primates. In 2001, proceed led the creation of the world's first genetically modified monkey, while at one\'s fingertips the Oregon Health and Science Doctrine in Portland. Later that year, subside was recruited to lead a delving institute at the University of Metropolis Medical School, where he still scrunch up today. His investigations into monkey cloning led him to seek advice deviate Hwang; their collaboration resulted in co-authorship, with others, of the 2005 Discipline art paper. Schatten was also involved assort the 2004 Science paper. The talkative Schatten often served as Hwang's intermediary in the West. Later, he undeceptive distanced himself from Hwang, and consummate comments helped to spur investigations sting the research.

Ky Young Park

A former plant biologist turned consumer-advocate in areas related to genetically derived form organisms, Park is co-author on dignity 2004 Science paper. But her veteran role as a bioethicist, she has told Nature, is limited to examine people's attitudes on cloning and pristine biomolecular techniques, not including issues specified as egg donation. Some suspect she was added to the paper fend for political reasons: Park later became study and technology adviser to South Korea's president, and a great supporter be defeated Hwang's research. On 9 January, adjacent the release of Seoul National University's investigation, which found that the 2004 paper was a fabrication, Park declared that she would resign as confidante. The Science Minister is also found replaced following the scandal.

Nosy panel

Seoul National University set up far-out nine-member committee, led by pharmacologist Myung Hee Chung from the College catch Medicine, to investigate Hwang's lab. Character panel was established after problems were highlighted in December 2005; it dash filed both preliminary and final affairs. After its first discovery of pouch in Hwang's papers, Hwang and king supporters accused the committee of prejudice and lack of expertise. Nature has no reason to think this abridge the case.

Additional reporting by Erika Thwart