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A Japanese stem cell scientist accused of fabricating research has agreed to retract papers published in the respected journal Nature, an official said Wednesday.
Haruko Obokata, 30, would withdraw two papers at the center of the controversy, according to a spokeswoman for RIKEN, the respected research institute that sponsored the study, marking a steep fall from grace for the young researcher.
“We confirmed that she agreed to retract both articles,” the spokeswoman said.
She added that RIKEN was “still discussing” a retraction with co-author Charles Vacanti of Harvard University.
Obokata was feted after unveiling findings that appeared to show a straightforward way to reprogram adult cells to become stem cells—precursors that are capable of developing into any other cell in the human body.
Identifying a readily manufacturable supply of stem cells could one day help meet a need for transplant tissues, or even whole organs, meaning that any advance in the field is usually met with excitement in the scientific community.
The study was front-page news in Japan, but within weeks of Obokata’s paper on so-called Stimulus-Triggered Acquisition of Pluripotency (STAP) cells being published, questions began to emerge, with fellow scientists saying they could not replicate her results.
RIKEN had urged the scientist to withdraw her two papers, after concluding that she fabricated at least some of the data.
Taro Toporific wrote:Embattled stem cell research center may be shut down
Nikkei Asian Review June 12, 2014
--A committee discussing reforms at Japan's Riken research institute in light of scientific misconduct in what was hailed as a groundbreaking stem cell study will recommend the option of closing the center responsible for most of the research...more...
Mainichi also quotes the lead attorney employed by Ms. Obokata (she has four attorneys), who told the press that his client says she wants to look for her sons (STAP cells) whom she has been separated from.
One prominent Japanese scientist (and a mother) who heads a laboratory in a US research institution is furious, and she tweeted, "You have already made a mockery of biology. Stop insulting women and female researchers further. I'm ashamed."
Coligny wrote:From the Exskf newsletter:Mainichi also quotes the lead attorney employed by Ms. Obokata (she has four attorneys), who told the press that his client says she wants to look for her sons (STAP cells) whom she has been separated from.
One prominent Japanese scientist (and a mother) who heads a laboratory in a US research institution is furious, and she tweeted, "You have already made a mockery of biology. Stop insulting women and female researchers further. I'm ashamed."
She's a fucking delusional nutcase... The kind that ends up homeless pushing around a mummified dead cat in a baby stroller and treating it as her baby... Put her in a Thai brothel so she can quickly die of syphilis, it will end her (and everyone else) suffering in a more human way...
chokonen888 wrote:
How is the bitch not fired, sued, and blacklisted yet? Oh right...because Japan.
Wibble wrote:Taro Toporific wrote:Embattled stem cell research center may be shut down
Nikkei Asian Review June 12, 2014
--A committee discussing reforms at Japan's Riken research institute in light of scientific misconduct in what was hailed as a groundbreaking stem cell study will recommend the option of closing the center responsible for most of the research...more...
This whole situation is pissing a lot of people off. The knock on effects outside RIKEN are starting to happen with lecture courses on ethics, more oversight of record keeping and administrators taking back control over those nasty untreatable scientists. I hate to think the damage it has done within RIKEN itself, but I heard the Government was rethinking the $1,000,000 salary plan to bring in Nobel laureates. Sure, the ethics standards are low, but nothing that is being done is going to change this. It just irritates theses doing things properly and many of the others just see the problem as getting caught. No one really wants to dig too deep...
Some of the issues, with the shutdown/leader resignation apparently relate to huge rivalry between the senior scientists in the RIKEN and Kyoto stem cell departments that started with a fight over a girl in the 80's or something. This rivalry is suggested to play a role in the odd hiring process of Obokata: she was saying amazing things and they both wanted her in their departments and corners were cut to get her.
Wibble wrote:Some of the issues, with the shutdown/leader resignation apparently relate to huge rivalry between the senior scientists in the RIKEN and Kyoto stem cell departments that started with a fight over a girl in the 80's or something.
Russell wrote:
I know of a similar situation in France.
My Japanese colleague/friend joked about it, and implied such a thing could never happen in Japan. LOL.
Russell wrote:Wibble wrote:Some of the issues, with the shutdown/leader resignation apparently relate to huge rivalry between the senior scientists in the RIKEN and Kyoto stem cell departments that started with a fight over a girl in the 80's or something.
This is not unique to Japan.
I know of a similar situation in France.
My Japanese colleague/friend joked about it, and implied such a thing could never happen in Japan. LOL.
Committee urges research center to be disbanded after STAP controversy
Kyodo -- Jun 13
A committee investigating Riken called Thursday for the institute's biological research center to be immediately disbanded because of its failure to prevent misconduct by disgraced scientist Haruko Obokata.
Obokata must also be "severely punished" for her now-infamous stem cell study, the panel of outside experts tasked with reforming the operations of the government-affiliated Riken research institute said in a report.
The proposals in the report are not binding but will be used as a reference by a Riken task force headed by institute chief Ryoji Noyori that will work out steps to prevent a recurrence of research misconduct.
Via Mano, we get to learn what it was like working in the stem cell lab of Piero Anversa.
The day to day operation of the lab was conducted under a severe information embargo. The lab had Piero Anversa at the head with group leaders Annarosa Leri, Jan Kajstura and Marcello Rota immediately supervising experimentation. Below that was a group of around 25 instructors, research fellows, graduate students and technicians. Information flowed one way, which was up, and conversation between working groups was generally discouraged and often forbidden.
Raw data left one’s hands, went to the immediate superior (one of the three named above) and the next time it was seen would be in a manuscript or grant. What happened to that data in the intervening period is unclear.
A side effect of this information embargo was the limitation of the average worker to determine what was really going on in a research project. It would also effectively limit the ability of an average worker to make allegations regarding specific data/experiments, a requirement for a formal investigation.
The general game plan of the lab was to use two methods to control the workforce: Reward those who would play along and create a general environment of fear for everyone else. The incentive was upward mobility within the lab should you stick to message. As ridiculous as it sounds to the average academic scientist, I was personally promised money and fame should I continue to perform the type of work they desired there. There was also the draw of financial security/job stability that comes with working in a very well-funded lab.
On the other hand, I am not overstating when I say that there was a pervasive feeling of fear in the laboratory. Although individually-tailored stated and unstated threats were present for lab members, the plight of many of us who were international fellows was especially harrowing. Many were technically and educationally underqualified compared to what might be considered average research fellows in the United States. Many also originated in Italy where Dr. Anversa continues to wield considerable influence over biomedical research.
legion wrote:I predict Obokata will get busted for either fare dodging or stealing towels from a hotel
Russell wrote:legion wrote:I predict Obokata will get busted for either fare dodging or stealing towels from a hotel
Will that be before or after her AV debut?
A renowned Japanese stem cell scientist who co-wrote research that was later retracted in an embarrassing scandal has been found dead of an apparent suicide, police said Tuesday.
The body of Yoshiki Sasai, 52, was discovered hanging inside the stairwell of a building that houses the Riken Centre for Developmental Biology, one of the country’s most prestigious scientific research institutions.
The office is in the western city of Kobe.
“Yoshiki Sasai was discovered hanging on Tuesday morning inside one of Riken’s research buildings and, after being sent to hospital, he was confirmed dead at 11:03 am,” a spokesman for the Hyogo Prefectural police told AFP.
“Police are investigating the case as a suspected suicide.”
He added that authorities discovered “farewell notes” that Sasai had left behind, with public broadcaster NHK reporting that one was left for Haruko Obokata.
Sasai mentored the 30-year-old Obokata, whose study earlier this year was hailed as a “game-changer” in the quest to grow transplant tissue in the lab.
But the feted research unravelled amid claims Obokata used fabricated data in her research.
Leading science journal Nature said last month it had withdrawn the study after mistakes were discovered in some data published in two papers, among other problems.
In the aftermath of the scandal, Sasai was accused of failing to properly supervise Obokata. He later apologised.
“It’s extremely regrettable,” Japan’s top government spokesman and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters in response to questions about Sasai’s death.
“Dr Sasai was a leading contributor in the field of regenerative medicine.”
chokonen888 wrote:Wonder is Obokata will follow suit...though she seems too full of herself to consider it...
chokonen888 wrote:Wonder is Obokata will follow suit...though she seems too full of herself to consider it...
legion wrote:chokonen888 wrote:Wonder is Obokata will follow suit...though she seems too full of herself to consider it...
Who do you think tied the knot?
chokonen888 wrote:legion wrote:chokonen888 wrote:Wonder is Obokata will follow suit...though she seems too full of herself to consider it...
Who do you think tied the knot?
Metaphorically? Obokata...she should have been the one hanging.
Russell wrote:Having to withdraw one's papers is certainly not conductive to an impressive publication list, but this brings new meaning to the expression "publish or perish"...
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