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Two scientists who closely worked with disgraced cloning expert Hwang Woo-suk on Wednesday suggested Hwang has in fact made considerable advances in cloning somatic cells and stem cell technology, lending support to Hwang¡¯s insistence that source technology for cloning patient-specific stem cells exists. Dr. Kim Min-kyu, a Seoul National University veterinarian who was on the team that created what may be the world¡¯s first dog cloned from adult somatic cells, said both cloning of the dog and of embryos required the same technique substituting the nucleus of an egg with that of a somatic cell. Kim also said embryonic stem cells from dogs have survived in the lab for 60 weeks.
Prof. Yoon Hyun-soo of Hanyang University, another collaborator, said it was he who selected the frozen stem cells an investigative panel at SNU wanted to thaw and subject to DNA tests. In contrast to an earlier batch of stem cells Hwang claims were switched with stem cells from normally fertilized embryos, these stem cells were unlikely to have been switched since they were frozen at an early stage, Yoon said. He added they were around 10 weeks old.
Since these new claims only add to confusion over Hwang¡¯s scientific achievement, the SNU panel decided to hold an emergency press conference on Thursday to clarify what suspicions are being investigated.
The panel says it will offer a detailed briefing on how the probe has progressed since its explosive interim report last week, when it revealed that Hwang fabricated results in a paper on patient-specific stem cells. The panel said it will answer whether Hwang¡¯s stem cells genetically match patients¡¯ somatic cells, and how a sum of US$50,000 that has been subject to speculation was used. It will also brief reporters on progress of its investigation into the veracity of a 2004 article by Hwang on cloning somatic cells and of the cloning of the dog Snuppy. It will also clarify why it postponed the announcement of its final report until next month.
One hitch in the investigation was that the panel commissioned additional DNA testing on Snuppy. It first entrusted the test to a human DNA testing institute, but differences in technique made it advisable to send the dog¡¯s blood samples to one specializing in animals, it said.
Meanwhile, Yoon on Wednesday also dismissed rumors that Kim Seon-jong, a former Hwang team member now working at the University of Pittsburgh, attempted suicide after telling TV reporters he fabricated research results at Hwang¡¯s behest. Yoon confirmed reports that he gave Kim $20,000 during a recent visit to the U.S. but denied the money was intended as a sweetener. Rather, it was a contribution to Kim¡¯s hospital expenses after he was admitted for stress, Yoon said. He also confirmed that core team member Prof. Ahn Cu-rie of SNU gave Kim another 10,000. Meanwhile, customs caught Kim with the money when he recently returned to Korea. By law, sums over $10,000 brought into the country must be declared.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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