As the investigation committee reviewing the Stem cell research of Prof. Hwang's team convened at Seoul National University, Roe Jung-hye, head of the school’s Research Affairs Office answered questions from the press. Panel Finds Hwang Deliberately Fabricated Results Hwang Probe Must Leave no Stone Unturned Anger, Hurt Greet Finding That Hwang Faked Research DNA Results Take Hwang Probe to Final Stage Hwang Associates Gave Key Witness US$30,000 Hwang Probe Close to Wrapping Up 2004 Episode Fresh Success Claim Adds Confusion in Hwang Scandal Vatican Pitches Into Hwang Debate The Dashed Hopes of Patients Are the Real Scandal World Stem Cell Scientists Seek Strict Ethics Guidelines SNU President Apologizes for Hwang Fraud Hwang and Co-Authors Relieved of Duties Hwang, Adversaries Questioned in Criminal Probe Hwang Sacked as Probe Exonerates Team Members

“The eight allegedly tailor-made stem cell lines -- including five that were frozen at an early stage - do not match the DNA of patients and turned out to have been extracted from fertilized eggs stored at an in-vitro fertilization clinic at MizMedi,” the panel concluded. Hwang earlier said the five frozen cells would prove that he succeeded in making patient-specific stem cells, which could in theory be grown into any tissue without fear of rejection by the patient’s body. “Based on DNA test results by three independent institutions, stem cell lines Nos. 2 and 3 did not match the DNA of patient’s somatic cells and were confirmed to be from fertilized eggs from MizMedi," it said.

The panel concluded that no patient-matched stem cells can be located and there is no evidence that Hwang had actually made them as he reported in an article published in Science magazine in May. It earlier found that Hwang inflated data from the two cells to claim he had in all succeeded in creating 11 stem cells matching patients’ DNA.

Five major suspicions have yet to be resolved. Thus it remains unclear if Hwang was at least telling the truth when he said the source technology for cloning the patient-specific stem cells exists, regardless of whether he actually succeeded in making them. The veracity of a 2004 article, also published in Science, on cloning stem cells from somatic cells that formed the basis for this year’s fabrication is also still being investigated. Answers are expected in the SNU panel’s final report.

In addition, prosecutors will probe how a sum of US$50,000 that has been subject to speculation was used, and whether the National Intelligence Service was involved in handing the money to the researchers.

1. Does the source technology exist?

Since DNA test have proved that the five cryogenically stored stem cells do not match patients’ DNA, it has become hard to prove that Hwang had the source technology to clone patients’ somatic cells to make stem cells that match their DNA. So far, the SNU panel has not fully denied its existence. Roe Jung-hye, the dean of Research Affairs who heads the panel, said there were dissenting opinions within the panel about what level of source technology can be said to have existed. The committee is being extremely cautious and continues to seek advice from experts outside.

2. Was the NIS involved in delivering money to researchers?

It is clear that in all US$50,000 was delivered to two former members of Hwang’s team now working at the University of Pittsburgh, Kim Seon-jong and Park Jong-hyuk. When broadcaster SBS reported Tuesday that the NIS may have been involved, the agency denied it threatening legal action. A day later the spy agency acknowledged that an NIS agent had delivered the money but was merely running an errand for Hwang without official NIS involvement. Many doubt this, since the agent was in charge of guarding Hwang and reporting all Hwang-related issues to the NIS.

3. Was the 2004 article a fabrication too?

Findings about the veracity of Hwang’s 2004 article in Science, in crucial ways the precursor to the 2005 report, will also shed light on whether source technology to make patient-specific stem cells exists or is within reach. If the DNA of stem cells documented in the paper matches that of somatic cell donors, it would show that the team has found a crude way of extracting stem cells from embryos created by cloning somatic cells.

4. Were the stem cells switched?

Hwang has asked prosecutors to investigate Kim Seon-jong, the former team member now with the University of Pittsburgh, who Hwang claims switched his patient-tailored stem cells with those from ordinary fertilized eggs at MizMedi Hospital. Kim denies this and told the SNU panel he had no reasons to do so. Kim has support from Prof. Yoon Hyun-soo of Hanyang University, a core Hwang collaborator, who has suggested any switch may have been the doing of Hwang's team itself. It will be up to prosecutors to clear up the matter.

5. Why did Hwang send US$50,000 overseas?

It is unclear why Hwang’s team sent a total of $50,000 abroad, including money given to the two former team members, Kim Seon-jong and Park Jong-hyuk. Close colleagues of Hwang have said $30,000 of the money was intended toward Kim’s medical fees since he was hospitalized with stress after speaking to the MBC reporters, but suspicions remain that it was a bribe. The matter will have to be investigated by prosecutors since the SNU panel has said it is beyond the scope of its investigation.

(englishnews@chosun.com )