SEOUL: A South Korean university said yesterday it will soon start DNA testing of cells as part of its investigation into the veracity of a study by Hwang Woo-suk, the country's most renowned stem-cell researcher.

Hwang, who faces charges from collaborators that their landmark 2005 paper on producing tailored embryonic stem cells was fundamentally flawed, was co-operating with the investigation, Seoul National University said in a statement.

A nine-member probe committee formed by the university, where Hwang has his laboratory, would conduct tests in two or three days on stem cells provided by Hwang's team once the specimens thawed and separated, it said.

"The amount is ample enough for the panel to start the DNA verification. Dr. Hwang is fully co-operating in giving us evidence," the statement said.

The next step would be to check if the stem cells matched the DNA of the patients who were part of the patient-specific stem cell study published in May 2005 in the USperiodical Science.

Medical experts cited by South Korean media said if the cell specimens were in good condition and if Hwang's team maintained biological material from the patients, it should only take a matter of days to verify if the stem cells matched the patients.

The investigation committee has already seized Hwang's computer, sealed off parts of his lab and called in about two-dozen team members for questioning.

Hwang has been hailed as a hero in South Korea for bringing the country to the forefront of stem cell and cloning research.

The paper on tailor-made embryonic stem cells, which have the ability to develop into any type of human tissue, was hailed around the world because it could one day lead to genetically matched tissue being generated to treat diseases such as Parkinson's.

Hwang said last Friday he was retracting the paper from Science because of the dispute, even though he did not doubt his findings. He said a follow-up paper sent to another journal would restore faith in his work.

Meanwhile, Hwang's groundbreaking stem cell research was cast into fresh doubt yesterday as a former collaborator said he provided hundreds more human eggs than Hwang claimed to have used, a report said.

Roh Sung-il, chairman of the board at Seoul's Mizmedi Hospital, said the hospital provided over 900 eggs from 65 people for the paper Hwang published in Science.

Hwang, however, claimed in the article that he used just 185 eggs.

Source: China Daily