Researcher Fired Over Cell Fiasco

The scientist who stunned the medical world with claims that he had created the first cloned human embryos and extracted stem cells from them -- research later found to have been faked -- was fired Monday by South Korea’s most prestigious university.

Seoul National University decided to dismiss Hwang Woo-suk after a disciplinary meeting, saying he and his co-workers caused the school to lose honor. Six other professors who worked with Hwang were either suspended or had their salaries cut, the school said.

Last month, the school suspended Hwang, 53, from teaching and conducting research as an interim disciplinary measure, but he had remained a professor.

“The professors fundamentally abandoned honesty and sincerity ... and caused the fall in the school’s honor and the country’s international confidence,” the university said in a statement Monday.

Byun Chang-ku, dean of the school’s academic affairs, said the committee had decided to fire Hwang because he “took overall responsibility as the lead author and played a leading role in writing the papers with fake facts and data.”

Hwang rarely appears in public anymore and could not be reached for comment.

Hwang’s reputation as a pioneer in stem cell research was shattered when the university concluded in January that his claims of research breakthroughs were fake.

The scientist had claimed in two papers published in the journal Science in 2004 and 2005 that he had created the world’s first cloned human embryos and extracted stem cells from them, raising hopes of finding cures for diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

The journal has since retracted both articles.

Hwang publicly apologized for inflating data for the paper, but accused other researchers of deceiving him with falsified research results.

Hwang maintains that he has the technology to do what he claimed. But South Korea’s Health Ministry withdrew his research license last week, preventing him from cloning human embryos or receiving eggs for such work.

Hwang may also face criminal charges because prosecutors have been investigating the scandal. The Board of Audit and Inspection said last month that it was unclear how he had spent $2.6 million he received in government funds and private donations.

Through last year, Hwang received $31.8 million in government funds for his research, as well as $6.2 million in private donations, the audit board said.

A professorship at the state-run university is a public post, and Hwang is banned from taking any other public posts for five years as stipulated by law, Byun said. Hwang had been a professor at the school’s Veterinary College since 1986.