 |
Professor Hwang Woo-suk closes his eyes in a car as he leaves Seoul National University on January 22. |
Yesterday (December 23), renowned South Korean stem cell researcher, Professor Hwang Woo-suk, resigned from his position as a university professor after the university where he worked announced that he had harmed the scientific community by falsifying the results of at least 9 out of 11 stem cell lines he claimed to have created.
“I sincerely apologize to everyone for shocking and disappointing you</em,” Hwang stated as he left his position at Seoul National University. “As an act of apology, I hereby resign from my role as a professor at Seoul National University.”
This morning, an investigative team from Seoul National University declared that Hwang’s actions involved deliberate deception and had undermined the trust of the scientific community.
The South Korean government, which had strongly supported Hwang and officially recognized him as the country’s first leading scientist, expressed today that they are “sorrowful” over the investigation’s findings.
The Ministry of Science and Technology of South Korea stated that the government trusts the investigation conducted by Seoul National University and “will consider necessary follow-up measures… including the possibility of suspending funding for research projects led by Professor Hwang Woo-suk.”
However, Hwang emphasized today that he will continue to develop stem cell technology to create patient-specific stem cells as he had announced in the journal Science last May. “I emphasize that patient-specific stem cells still belong to South Korea, and you will continue to see that,” he stated.
The South Korean government also indicated it will continue to support similar research. “Despite the recent scandals, the government will continue to support biotechnology research, including stem cells, as the hope for stem cell research for patients with terminal illnesses and their families and communities is not in vain,” the Ministry of Science and Technology of South Korea said.
TUONG VY
