Embryologist Hwang to return

Hwang Woo-suk

By Kim Tae-gyu
Staff reporter

Korea's discredited embryologist Hwang Woo-suk is looking to resume research on cloned human embryos here if he gets the green light from the government.

Professor Hyun Sang-hwan at Chungbuk National University, who acts as a de facto spokesman for Hwang, said Friday that his team will ask for government permission to restart this branch of cloning research.

"Our institute, the Sooam Biotech Research Center, already has permits for assorted cloning as a specialized organization. We will attempt to gain approval for a specific plan soon," Hyun told The Korea Times over the phone.

"Our requests were rejected twice in the past. But the atmosphere is good this time around as the Constitutional Court ruled in favor of embryo research. We hope our proposal will get the okay."

The court ruled this week that embryos do not have the same legal status as people - in other words, that an embryo cannot be regarded as a human being. The decision is projected to help stem cell scientists, who want to work on embryos.

Currently, only the Cha Medical Center has received approval for research into cloned embryonic stem cells while Professor Park Se-pill at Jeju National University has also asked for approval.

"If we gain approval from the ministry, we will be able to come up with patient-specific stem cells in about half a year. We have already cloned stem cells in tests on pigs," Hyun said. "The same protocols would be used to clone tailor-made human stem cells."

Some experts agree, making positive predictions.

"Hwang and his staff have a technical edge in cloning. Although they had little expertise in establishing stem cell lines, I learned that they have improved in that area too," said Professor Park, one of the few stem cell experts in Korea.

"In consideration of their technological knowhow and experience, it appears to be a reasonable expectation that his team would generate cloned stem cells in six months as long as they can obtain a sufficient amount of human ova."

Hwang basked in the limelight across the world back in 2005 when he claimed to have created patient-specific stem cells. However, he was later found to have fabricated his cell lines, and much of his work was discredited

Yet, he became a scientific pariah after the stem cells were found to be a hoax even though his expertise in cloning was recognized ― his cloning of a dog was recognized as a world first.

Last October, the Seoul Central District Court convicted Hwang of embezzling state and private funds and unlawfully purchasing human ova. It gave the scientist a two-year prison term suspended for three years. He was cleared on charges of fraud.

In order to regain his reputation, Hwang has resumed work at the Sooam Biotech Research Center but failed to gain permission from the government on controversial human embryonic cloning.

Hence, he spearheaded cloning experiments with animals in Korea but was involved in human stem cell works overseas in an alliance with institutes in Asia, Europe and the United States.

황우석, 인간 복제배아 줄기세포 연구 재신청 계획

황우석 전 서울대 교수가 다시 한번 인간 복제배아 줄기세포 연구를 신청할 계획이다.

황 전 교수의 제자이자 수암연구소의 자문으로 일하고 있는 충북대학교 현상환 교수에 따르면 황우석 팀이 조만간 환자유래 복제배아 줄기세포 연구 계획서를 보건복지부에 제출할 계획이다.

2007년 복제배아 줄기세포를 연구할 수 있는 기관으로 지정된 후 수암 측은 보건복지부에 두 차례에 걸쳐 구체적인 연구계획을 제출했으나 국가생명윤리심의위원회의 승인을 받지 못했다.

현 교수는 최근 헌법재판소가 배아를 연구목적으로 사용할 수 있다는 판결을 내리는 등 상황이 좋아 이번에는 국가생명윤리심의위원회의 승인을 기대한다고 했다.

또한 현 교수는 만일 실험 재개된다면 6개월 내에 환자유래 복제배아 줄기세포를 수립할 수 있을 것이라고 예상했다. 이미 돼지에서 성공한 프로토콜을 인간 배아에 적용할 경우 큰 어려움 없이 세계 최초로 복제배아 줄기세포를 만들어 낼 수 있으리라고 관측했다.

현재 국내에서 체세포복제배아 연구 계획서의 승인을 받은 것은 차병원이 유일하다. 제주대학교의 박세필 교수팀도 국가생명윤리심의위원회의 결정을 기다리고 있다.

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