Picture of an embryo submitted as evidence of successful cloning from somatic cells by Prof. Hwang Woo-suk. Unlike embryos created by insemination, cloned embryos show a tear created in the process of removing the nucleus from the egg. The cloning pioneer says the embryo cloned last January is nearly ready for stem cell harvest. SNU Academics Seek Verification of Hwang Research MBC Union Unrepentant Over Hwang Expose Hwang Team Pre-Empts SNU Bid to Verify Research Cloning Pioneer Visits Lab From Hospital Top Geneticists Call on Hwang to Help Confirm Findings Hwang Defends Stem Cell Research U.S. Scientist Withdraws Name From Hwang Paper Hwang Scandal Splashed Across Global Front Pages SNU Sets Up Panel to Check Hwang Research Stem Cells Don’t Exist: Hwang Associate What Went Wrong in the Hwang Affair? Researcher Says Hwang Stem Cell Research Accurate Hwang Grilled as SNU Inquiry Gets Under Way Fresh Mixup Casts Doubt on Cloning Pioneer’s Research Hwang Achievements Succumb to Domino Effect SNU Panel 'Close' to Finding if Hwang's Stem Cells Exist Schatten Requested US$200,000 for 'Effort' MBC Producer, Hospital Chief Grilled in Hwang Probe

The SNU official said the fact-finding panel would target breakthrough papers Hwang published in Science in 2004 and 2005. The panel is empowered to recommend punishment for research staff found to have committed irregularities, he said. Disciplinary measures would be taken as soon as the panel wraps up its investigation.

The SNU committee will also want to find out if Hwang really cloned a dog and a cow, as he has claimed.

In closing down the lab, the panel has banned access for research staff on Hwang’s team. An SNU official said the operation of the institute would remain suspended until the truth about Hwang’s stem cell research is revealed.

Embattled cloning expert Prof. Hwang Woo-suk passes a lobby at Seoul National University’s Veterinary College on Monday, when a university panel declared his lab off-limits to members of his team.

Meanwhile, a close collaborator of Hwang’s on Monday told the Chosun Ilbo he supplied 880 human eggs to Hwang’s team, contradicting the scientist’s claim that he succeeded in creating 11 patient-specific stem cells from 185 eggs. Roh Sung-il is the chief of the MizMedi Hospital who last week said no stem cells existed at all and who last month admitted paying women for donating their eggs.

Roh said he provided 880 ova to Hwang from mid-2003 to February 2005. He compensated donors until late 2004, but after a new bioethics law took effect on Jan. 1, 2005, donors were not paid, he said.

He said Hwang’s team used up about 1,000 ova, including 200 eggs provided by other gynecology clinics, but did not create nearly as many patient-specific stem cells as it claimed and still has a long way to go until it can produce them. The remarks suggest that research remains much more wasteful than has been believed, requiring huge numbers of eggs to create one cloned stem cell.

(englishnews@chosun.com )