Hwang Woo-suk
Hwang Woo -suk comes from simple social conditions and was the only one of his primary school class academic education. In 1982 he received his doctorate in veterinary medicine, since 1999 he acquired the tools for cloning animals.
In 2004, Hwang became internationally known after he published the successful derivation of human stem cells from a cloned embryo. After the publication of this work results of the professor from Seoul has been a much sought-after star of the world's science and a celebrated national hero in his homeland. The South Korean Post Stamps dedicated to him, and the National Railroad donated him a lifetime free pass card. Not least, his rejection of bids from foreign research institutes Underlining its national loyalty fostered its popularity in South Korea. He was under special police protection because the South Korean government feared a kidnapping by North Korea. The cloned porcine embryos in his institute were also transported with polizeilichem escort for livestock to be planted there in swine.
Hwang's research on novel therapeutic process should namely not based purely on human embryonic stem cells; Rather, he experimented with the same methods of xenotransplantation of the heart, liver and kidneys of genetically modified pigs which immune genes of the people had been inserted. In this way, rejection should be avoided, which regularly occur in foreign transplanted tissue.
From his work group who also wrote the first cloned dog named Snuppy, which was presented to the public in August 2005; Snuppy is an acronym from the initials of the Seoul National University ( SNU in English: Seoul National University ) was formed and puppy ( English for " Puppy" ). The American magazine Time has named the most amazing Klonhund for Innovation of the Year 2005.
Fraud allegations
In November 2005 there was a scandal first in Hwang's lab, as the researchers had to admit that two of its employees had donated oocytes fee for embryo research. Hwang denied that it was aware of this ( in South Korea initially legal) process. In the course of subsequent discussions, however, Hwang resigned as chairman of the world stem cell bank and withdrew from all other governmental and private organizations back. Mid-December 2005 were added allegations that Hwang had manipulated the data of its publication on the eleven stem cell lines.
Been Initiated was the public debate by a television report of the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation ( MBC), who had been a former senior staff member of Hwang's lab, Ryu Young- Joon, in early June 2005 stimulated.
The investigation into the allegations
A commission of his university first came to the conclusion that at least nine of the eleven stem cell lines, which he claims to have cloned cell lines are not independent, the data of the publication have been so deliberately falsified. Hwang then offered the resignation of his professorship, however, continued to emphasize that he had the technique for derivation of stem cell lines very well controlled.
The end of December was the commission of inquiry in a further interim report announced that the published in Science on 17 June 2005 study was a total fake. Hwang I can not provide any evidence that he actually could produce customized embryonic stem cells to the patient. The publication is based on two cell lines derived from normal fertilized eggs, not in the laboratory of Hwang, but in Seoul Miz Medi Hospital, which had worked closely with the team of Hwang. DNA analysis have shown that the two cell lines are not consistent with the patient's DNA.
In the final report of the Commission of Inquiry, which was published on 10 January 2006, it was said, of all alleged research results have only the successful cloning of the dog Snuppy the 2005 inventory. In contrast, Hwang's team had can not provide any scientific evidence for the production of human embryonic stem cells. The results of the study published in Science in 2004 about the alleged first obtaining a stem cell line from a cloned human embryo were forged; inter alia, had been manipulated photos and DNA analysis. Although Hwang had actually cloned human embryos and cultured to the blastocyst stage, but he had not been able to win from stem cells.
Now in force as a total forgery science publications were not only published by Hwang Woo -suk, but recognized the names of many co- authors. The possible complicity, especially those of Sung Keun Kang, who worked in the same laboratory with Hwang, remained unclear. The investigation report called for strict penalties for Klonforscher.
In early February 2006 informed the South Korean Court with moreover, part of the government research funds had been conducted on Hwang's private accounts, even if one can understand their exact use. Then a prosecutorial investigation against the researchers was initiated.
Hwang Woo -suk designated, according to a South Korean press report dated 31 December 2005 for the umpteenth time as a victim of a conspiracy. Press reports of early March 2006 it was said but, Hwang had against the prosecutor admitted having given itself the mission to the falsification of evidence on alleged stem cell lines. His appointed employees have purified normal body cells, distributed in two tubes and then presented as cloned cells. He also reiterated his earlier pledge to master the technique for cloning of patient-specific embryonic stem cells since 2004.
The sanctions against Hwang by the University
Mid-March 2006 it was announced that Hwang was withdrawn from the South Korean license to work in the field of stem cell research. Furthermore, the National University said in Seoul that they will release him from the university service and halve its future pension entitlements. As a result of the dismissal Hwang will also barred for five years of access to public research grants. At the same time pay cuts and disciplinary action against four other professors were imposed to which this right to participate in doctoral project was withdrawn for three months teaching license and for 18 months. Two of the thus punished were responsible for the controversial studies as co- authors, the other two had allowed to identify themselves as co- authors, although they had had no part in the studies.
The trial of Hwang
On 12 May 2006 indictment against Hwang was charged by the prosecution for fraud and embezzlement as well as for violations of a South Korean bioethics law. Even against five other members of his team on charges: against three persons for fraud, against for violating the bioethics law and against another person because of destruction of evidence and obstruction of justice.
The 150 -page indictment Hwang admits that he and his team were initially actually convinced that stem cell line " number 1" - the basis for the release of 2004 was - to have derived from a cloned blastocyst. However, two separate studies of the Seoul National University have shown that the cells - were caused by parthenogenesis - similar to the emergence of identical twins. However, accusing Hwang was that his team was without proper records to this first stem cell line and therefore were not detectable scientific statements to this stem cell line. Hwang had instead its employees Jong Hyuk Park and Sun Kim Jong commissioned to invent photos, DNA test results and other data.
The study on the eleven allegedly customized stem cell lines, which provided in 2005 for worldwide attention, had been produced under similar circumstances. The re- commissioned with the production of cell lines employees Kim was not able to perform the contract. Instead, he got hold of stem cells that had been won in Seoul MizMedi Hospital from fertilized eggs and gave them as the results of their own cloning. Hwang believed the prosecutor's investigation has shown that that the two cell lines thus produced were the result of proper research, asked his employee but to distort the data so that you could the production of eleven stem cell lines publish. It was only after the beginning of the academic fraud investigation in late 2005 found out that the first two stem cell lines were faked Hwang. Kim was accused by the prosecutor, among others, to have deleted computer files to obliterate traces of his forgeries.
The prosecutor also confirmed that Hwang had used much more eggs for his research, as reported in the studies. In fact, he had used in 2236 oocytes from 122 women; 71 women were paid for it. In addition, he is accused of embezzling 2.99 million U.S. dollars to state and private funding. Hwang was in possession of a system of 63 bank accounts that were conducted under different names ( including young researchers and relatives ). In order to hide some of his alleged embezzlement he had against the tax authorities made false statements about the alleged purchase of pigs and cows for his research.
The trial of Hwang began on 20 June 2006. On 4 July 2006 reported the news agency Reuters, Hwang had the charge of forgery in court while being questioned by the prosecution, acknowledged and referred to as their own failures. He could not remember to have given specific instructions, but the overall responsibility for the operations in his laboratory and lie with him. However, he was not aware that so many of his assistants any data without foundation. He had to rely on its employees and on the results they present. Hwang admitted further that his group had paid money to the egg donors.
For the allegations of misconduct Hwang threatened up to three years in prison for violating the bioethics law and up to ten years for embezzlement of research funds. The fake specialized publications were not the subject of the process. A report by the news agency dpa According to the prosecution applied for in August 2009 - after 43 days of negotiations - a sentence of four years. October 26, 2009 Hwang Woo -suk was sentenced to two years in Seoul probation. Previously, 33 South Korean parliamentarians had appealed in a Petitionan to the court to granting him extenuating circumstances, so that he could continue his research without further ado. The judge certified Hwang to have embezzled no research Elder, because the investors did no strings attached to their assignment. Therefore he was sentenced only for its violations of the Bioethics Act and associated with the procurement and processing of ova of court declared illegal use of $ 700,000 from state funds. Woo -suk and the prosecutor juice appealed against the verdict.
On 16 December 2010 an appeals court reduced the sentence to 18 months on probation. The court came to the conclusion this time, that some of the grants had not been abused. An appeal against his dismissal from the Seoul National University and against the alleged infringement of bioethical rules, however, was dismissed in February 2014 by the Supreme Court of Korea.
Unnoticed breakthrough in parthenogenesis
In August 2007, was published in Cell Stem Cell online that Hwang had "overlooked" one of his real successes: At least allegedly suffered by cloning cell line SCNT - hES -1 is actually the first known human cell line, which was created by parthenogenesis. The U.S. stem cell expert George Daly, in whose laboratory the cell lines were examined, however, pointed out that you did not have in Hwang's Institute on the biotechnological tools that allows you stem cells from cloned stem cells by parthenogenesis produced could differ. In what way this breakthrough in stem cell research came about, therefore it remained unclear because the manufacturing process of the cell line had not been published realistic, but should give the impression that they had cloned the cells.
Continuation of the research
Even after the announcement of the indictment against Hwang took place in South Korea - as already several times before - repeatedly to public sympathy for Hwang. Before the building of the prosecution demonstrated several hundred supporters, including some Buddhist monks supported the pro- Hwang activists. Of them, Hwang was still revered as a national hero who cloned the first dog and - have created the first human stem cell line.
End of June 2006 announced Hwang's lawyer, his client will begin to search again in a laboratory financed by private funds. 'll Supports Hwang. During his fresh start of some 30 former employees In fact, Hwang sat in Yongjin, 50 km west of Seoul, its clone experiments with animal cells continues.
In September 2007 it was announced that Hwang had dodged together with ten employees to Thailand to operate there stem cell research on human-animal chimeras. He wanted to integrate DNA fragments of the people in oocytes of cows, pigs and other animals and use the derived human embryonic stem cells for research and therapeutic purposes. In South Korea, such experiments are ethically controversial. Two months later, told the South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare, which was founded Sooam Bioengineering Research Institute in July 2006 by Hwang in Yongin had requested approval for studies on the cloning of human embryos. Among the eight designated for this purpose researchers should also Hwang Woo -suk. For the same institute was 2008 that had been cloned there Tibetan Mastiffs. According to New Scientist Hwang is also concerned at the Institute of Sooam Biotech Research Foundation on behalf of the U.S. company International BioArts with the cloning of dogs that andient the cloning of their dogs in its website private individuals. According to a report in Nature Sooam produced in 2013 per day about 300 cloned cattle and pig embryos and 15 cloned puppies.
In August 2009, the South Korean province of Gyeonggi-do announced it was planning a collaboration with Hwang to produce transgenic animals from which one could win organs that are suitable for transmission to humans. In October 2011, reported the news agency AFP Hwang had thanks to support from the provincial government cloned eight coyotes by cells taken from the skin of a coyote and 've ever planted a cell nucleus into an enucleated egg cell of a bitch; the first cub was born in June 2011. At the same time it was announced that the Sooam Biotech Research Foundation, has been working as the research director Hwang, have held discussions with the National Transitional Council in Libya, in order to attend human embryos include the Foundation in Korea again banned stem cell research.
In October 2006, Hwang had testified in court, to have paid money to the Russian mafia in order to raise funds in this way, tissue samples from mammoths. He wanted to try to clone the cells of these extinct species, but had failed. In March 2012 it was announced that Hwang Woo -suk try again on a collaboration with the Northeastern Federal University in the Russian republic of Yakutia to get to cells of mammoths.