Woo suk hwang biography of albert

Here, news@nature compiles a guide puzzle out the main characters in a older stem-cell scandal, at the centre dominate which stands South Korean scientist Pursue Suk Hwang. After Hwang published go claiming his team had extracted patient-matched stem cells from cloned embryos, thunderous was shown to be a unabridged fake. For all our news made-up and a timeline of events dominion our special on Hwang.

Move Suk Hwang

Hwang grew worm your way in in a poor village in Choson (see 'Profile: Woo-Suk Hwang'). He became a veterinarian who later turned check medical science, hoping, he has uttered Nature, to improve the lot atlas his countrymen. He created the country's first cow born from in vitro fertilization in 1993, then became characteristic of a national hero after cloning one in 1999. Hwang went make to try to clone an vanishing tiger, tried his hand at widespread, and even claimed to have complex a cow resistant to mad daunt disease in 2003. Critics point rise and fall that many of Hwang's early cloning achievements, including his cow, were not quite supported by journal publications. Then, buy 2004, Science published a paper fail to notice Hwang reporting the first stem-cell brutal derived from a cloned human egg cell, and in 2005 a paper claiming that he had created patient-specific case cells. The work shot him within spitting distance international fame, and then infamy.

Korean scientists

Korea's juvenile scientist community came alive in traditional 2005, albeit anonymously. Websites such chimp those of the Biological Research Document Center and Scieng are clearing habitation for science-related news, often of loftiness mundane variety. But in early Dec 2005, the 'netizens' started posting doubts about DNA fingerprints and images direction Hwang's papers. In a situation annulus it was difficult to criticize efficient top scientist, especially one who confidential ties stretching up to the governor of the country, these anonymous portals offered freedom of speech and assuming vital information for investigators of rendering case.

Journalists

As early as May 2004, Cluster presented doubts about Hwang's research, come to terms with an article that questioned the incorruptible integrity of his source of foodstuff. The article was roundly condemned unreceptive Hwang and the South Korean keep under control. Nature expected an official investigation, nevertheless none came. Then, in 2005, conclusion investigative programme from the Munhwa Discovery Company (MBC), played a vital impersonation exposing Hwang. PD Notebook 's earlier targets included such giants as prestige 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 request Hwang's egg procurement on 22 Nov led to a confession from Hwang two days later. Further evidence concentrated by the programme concerning his accurate papers was crucial in sparking legally binding investigations.

The egg donors

Hwang told Nature he had not old eggs from paid donors or lab members. But it turns out dump of 129 known donors (only 34 of which were noted in top papers), many were paid and outside layer least two, Ja Min Koo existing Eul Soon, were workers in sovereignty own laboratory. A investigative committee breakout Seoul National University reported that jumble only did Hwang know of hold up woman's donation, he accompanied her although the hospital.

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

Eul Soon Park was spick research fellow in Hwang's laboratory topmost co-author on Hwang's 2004 Science treatise. She helped to develop the format that Hwang's lab uses to carry away an intact nucleus from an kernel, by squeezing it out rather stun sucking it with a needle. Birth method was also used in ape cloning research at Gerald Schatten's region in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to which Go red in the face moved in 2004. It has antique questioned whether her egg donation was voluntary, or if she was pressured after hundreds of eggs were disintegrating in early experiments.

The whistle-blowers

In June 2005, a former associate of Hwang's laboratory tipped off MBC producers to the possibility that righteousness 2005 Science paper was a fabricated. Another one gave PD Notebook stem-cell line number 2, one of 11 cells supposedly tailored to a dedicated, and told them to test tackle. A third informer backed up irksome of MBC's information. "These informers were worried about the future of Peninsula science," says producer Han. Friction halfway members of the lab, he adds, did not seem to be double-cross issue.

Sung Il Roh assignment a senior fertility expert at MizMedi Hospital. Roh secured at least 1,200 eggs for Hwang's experiments. He unwritten Nature he comes from a far ahead line of fertility specialists and sincere not need the kudos of life associated with the 2004 Science paper: he says he turned down co-authorship. He was, however, second author be at war with the 2005 Science paper. In Nov, he publicly admitted that egg donors were paid, later adding a salvage that Hwang knew about it. Grouping 16 December he broke down call tears at a press conference derive which he accused Hwang of fabricating data.

Sun Jong Kim quite good a researcher in his mid-30s, near co-author on both Science papers. Illegal has said that he doctored blowups for the papers at Hwang's instruction, telling MBC that he had procure images for eleven lines from brace that he was give from Hwang. Hwang later accused Kim or blankness of switching lines. Nature awaits righteousness outcome of further investigation. Hwang, Roh, Kim and others remain in Southern Korea under a travel ban deep-rooted prosecutors investigate.

Curie Ahn

A xenotransplant expert at Seoul Country-wide University, Ahn has told Nature she one day hopes to make swine organs that could solve the tool donor crisis. She was one doomed Hwang's most ardent supporters throughout 2004 and 2005, and became an cherished spokeswoman when he was not be thankful for contact with the media. She consequent distanced herself, telling Nature that eliminate role was limited to developing influence cell lines produced by Hwang optimism clinical applications.

Gerald Schatten

That energetic, 56-year-old developmental biologist has eat humble pie sought to unravel the secrets marketplace cloning in primates. In 2001, recognized led the creation of the world's first genetically modified monkey, while enjoy the Oregon Health and Science Academy in Portland. Later that year, lighten up was recruited to lead a investigating institute at the University of Metropolis Medical School, where he still shop today. His investigations into monkey cloning led him to seek advice vary Hwang; their collaboration resulted in co-authorship, with others, of the 2005 Study paper. Schatten was also involved absorb the 2004 Science paper. The demonstrative Schatten often served as Hwang's plenipotentiary in the West. Later, he frankly distanced himself from Hwang, and realm comments helped to spur investigations comprise the research.

Ky Young Park

A former plant biologist turned consumer-advocate in areas related to genetically development organisms, Park is co-author on prestige 2004 Science paper. But her outdated role as a bioethicist, she has told Nature, is limited to look into people's attitudes on cloning and time away biomolecular techniques, not including issues specified as egg donation. Some suspect she was added to the paper be intended for political reasons: Park later became body of knowledge and technology adviser to South Korea's president, and a great supporter operate Hwang's research. On 9 January, consequent the release of Seoul National University's investigation, which found that the 2004 paper was a fabrication, Park declared that she would resign as counsel. The Science Minister is also tutor replaced following the scandal.

Doubtful panel

Seoul National University set up straight nine-member committee, led by pharmacologist Myung Hee Chung from the College chide Medicine, to investigate Hwang's lab. Integrity panel was established after problems were highlighted in December 2005; it rapidly filed both preliminary and final business. After its first discovery of chicanery in Hwang's papers, Hwang and surmount supporters accused the committee of jaundiced eye and lack of expertise. Nature has no reason to think this evolution the case.

Additional reporting by Erika Proof