South Korean stem cell expert Hwang Woo-suk delivered his intention to world famous journal Science to withdraw his paper published earlier this year on accomplishment of his stem cell research, reported Hankyoreh, a local newspaper, in its Thursday's website version.

The report said Roh Sung-il, the administrator of Seoul's MizMedi Hospital, made telephone call to the newspaper earlier in the day, saying Hwang admitted fabricating stem cell research result in the published paper in May by the US-based journal.

Roh's hospital had provided the human ova for Hwang's stem cell research.

Roh, the co-author of Hwang's stem cell research paper, met Hwang at Seoul National University (SNU) hospital in downtown Seoul Thursday morning, the report said.

In the meeting with Roh, Hwang allegedly said that he felt miserable about the absence of stem cells. "Our team achieved some accomplishments in the stem cell research, but some of them (the stem cells) seem to have been destroyed in storage," Roh quoted Hwang as saying.

"I didn't know that (the loss of stem cells). I feel miserable, " Hwang was quoted as saying.

Moreover, Roh also telephoned the three local major TV stations, KBS, MBC and SBS, earlier Thursday.

"I myself do not know whether Hwang's stem cells actually existed," Roh was quoted as telling SBS.

"SNU doesn't have to re-examine the veracity of Hwang's stem cell research. It's time for Hwang himself to explain the whole things," SBS quoted Roh as reporting in its news program on Thursday evening.

"Of the 11 alleged embryonic stem cells described in Hwang's study, nine are fake, with the authenticity of the two others yet to be confirmed," he was quoted as telling KBS.

Moreover, SNU professor Ahn Curie, a key member of Hwang's research team, also said that she is not convinced of how many stem cells are left at present, according to the MBC TV report.

"Ahn said a considerable number of Hwang's stem cells were destroyed last year by a fungus that blew in from an adjacent dog farm. The team attempted to resuscitate the destroyed stem cells, but failed," MBC TV said.

"Ahn also admitted that many of Hwang's stem cells were destroyed or altered, let alone their photos," said MBC.

In May this year, Hwang's team announced in the paper published in Science that it had successfully cloned 11 different stem cells tailored to individual patients, paving the way for future development of therapies for hard-to-cure diseases.

Earlier this week, the SNU announced it will conduct examination to the authenticity of the stem cell research led by its visiting professor Hwang, who has been in a center of controversy in recent months.

Recently, local media quoted a former fellow researcher in Hwang's team as reporting that the 11 images of the stem cells published along with the paper in Science were copied and manipulated from two stem cells.

The new development of the controversy over Hwang's stem cell research came 20 days after Hwang admitted he used ova donated by his two female junior researchers in his research in 2003.

The action is widely viewed not comply to international ethical standard in bio-medical research.

Controversy surrounding Hwang's recent stem cell research erupted from late October when MBC TV station aired a series of program on probing problems on Hwang's research.

Then, Gerald Schatten, a professor of the US University of Pittsburg had worked together with Hwang in the stem cell research, announced stopping cooperation with Hwang's team last month.

Hwang's team succeeded in cloning embryonic stem cells in 2004 for the first time in the world.

Since then, Hwang had been seen by local people as national hero for they think Hwang brought their country standing in the front line in the world over biomedical research.

South Korean government earlier this year extended its support to Hwang's research despite growing suspicion over the validity of his historic paper published in Science.

Up to now, there was no directly responses from Hwang himself over Thursday's report. He has been in hospital from early this month due to stomach ulcer and exhaustion.

Source: Xinhua