Japan researcher revokes cell rejuvenation study

Stem cell researcher revokes study on cell rejuvenation

06/04/2014

A few months ago, a study caused a worldwide sensation in which a simple rejuvenation of body cells was described. After their publication, however, there was some talk of forgery. The Japanese stem cell researcher Haruko Obokata has now publicly apologized for potential errors in her study and will withdraw research papers.

Research papers are withdrawn
According to her employer, a Japanese scientist will withdraw research papers in the scandal surrounding a body cell rejuvenation study. As the Japanese Riken Institute announced on Wednesday, Haruko Obokata has agreed in writing. The 30-year-old stem cell researcher had been accused of spot-on manipulation and counterfeiting, which she had firmly rejected. Researchers from Japan and the US under their direction at the end of January in the British journal „Nature“ reported that, among other things, they had used citric acid to restore the body cells of newborn mice to a kind of embryonic state. These so-called STAP cells could develop into almost any cell type again.

Scientist apologized
However, in April, the state-funded Riken Institute found that the study's images were similar to those from Obokata's 2011 PhD thesis. She was then advised to withdraw the research articles. She then apologized for doubting the study, but said: „People say I should withdraw the papers, but that would mean that my research is completely wrong. I can not say that to the world because the result is correct.“ As the Japanese woman announced at a press conference, she and her colleagues had successfully produced STAP cells more than 200 times.

Co-author refuses to withdraw the papers
At first it remained unclear what led to the scientist's alleged change of heart. According to Riken, the researcher signed a document with the consent and sent it to her co-author, Hitoshi Niwa. The news agency Jiji Press quoted a lawyer from the scientist, who is currently in dire financial straits, as saying that his client might have been cornered. The lawyer does not believe that this is really the intention of Obokata. Harvard professor Charles Vacandi, under whom Obokata had studied, refused to withdraw the papers. He is one of the co-authors of the study. Meanwhile, check „Nature“ the credibility of the controversial articles and want to announce the result shortly. Meanwhile, Riken verifies the existence of the cells in laboratory tests. (Ad)