[STAP Cell] May Mr. Yoshiki Sasai's soul rest in Peace.

From NHK website

I think people already know that Mr. Yoshiki Sasai commits suicide at RIKEN on Aug 05 2014. So I don't have to say much about it. 

He left 3 notes for CDB's executives, the member of lab and Ms. Obogata. He said on his note to Ms. Obogata, "please reproduce the STAP cells". 

I don't know what is happening in RIKEN. Why did he have to...? The only way to solve this mess problem is to "reproduce the STAP cells". Ms. Obogata has to do it but I think she is having a major depression right now. 

People around Ms. Obogata have to take care of her very very gently. I hope she can recover from this very very sad situation...

May his soul rest in Peace.


Thank you.

[STAP Cell] Ms.Obogata agreed to dismiss the papers

There are 2 papers regarding STAP cell from Ms. Obogata's team, "Letter" and "Article". And they decided to dissmiss "Letter" today.

A professor of Harvard University, Dr. Charls Vacanti is opposed to dismiss the paper until now. But he said to Ms. Obogata, "To dismiss the paper also whether it is another way." 

Their lawyer, Mr. Miki Hideo said, "She lost her mental stability. She can not have precise understanding of this situation right now. She decided to dismiss the papers because she had no other choice." 

But she still has a belief in the existence of STAP cell. She said, "Even if we dismiss the paper, the fact is not going away." She hopes to join the verification experiment of STAP cells by RIKEN. "There is no choice but to respond in order to join the experiment."

The papers will be the blank sheet of papers. But her challenge is not over yet. I am still hoping the existence of STAP cell too.

Thank you!

[STAP Cell] Ms.Obogata's apology and objection

(Former article: >[STAP Cell] Does it really exist????)

Ms. Obogata appeared in front of journalists to against the result of the board of investigation in RIKEN.  

First of all, she apologized about her paper. "I deeply apologize for the inconvenience to RIKEN, my co-authors and everyone because I rise many suspicions from my carelessness, lack of industriousness, immaturity."

She bowed deeply.

She also said, she couldn't show up in front of people for a while because RIKEN didn't let her do that. But she believes STAP phenomenon is useful for someone someday so she has continued to research.

Her comments:

"From the perspective of many researchers, I think it is a huge mistake but it does not affect the conclusions of the research results of the paper by this mistake. The experiments surely have been conducted and the data is also present. I would like you to understand that I never finished the paper maliciously."

She gave way to tears.

"If I had presented a chart correctly in the first place, there is no need for investigation committee. I would like to thank and apologize sincerely to the investigation committee members for taking the time."

 "However, the result of the investigation, it have been determined to be illegal without a good understanding of the facts. If I get a enough opportunity for the excuse and description, you shall be able to understand the background of mistake. That is why I am here today with my lawyer."

"STAP phenomenon is the truth that has been confirmed many times." 

She said, she made STAP cell over 200 times.

There were 2 unjustified things from RIKEN's investigation.

3. One of the photo of gene analysis is cut-and-paste? >> Unjustified: falsification
6. Did Ms. Obogata divert the photo from her doctor's thesis? >> Unjustified: fabricated

RIKEN defines fabrication, falsification and plagiarism as research fraud. 

Fabrication is to build up the experimental data and result.
Falsification is to change or omit the date.
Plagiarism is to divert the sentences of others without acknowledgment.

However, RIKEN has not included the honest errors as research fraud. 

Ms. Obogata said, she did the 2 things but they were the honest errors. So she can not accept the result of the investigation.

I don't know why I just want to believe her because if she really did the falsification or fabrication, she will never show up and apologize in front of people like this. She just want us to understand that there is a STAP cells.

This is not only her problem. I think RIKEN has a big responsibility. We don't know she can join a reproductive experiment. I hope we can know there is a STAP cell or not as soon as possible.

Hang on, Obogata-san!

Thank you.

[STAP Cell] Does it really exist????

We could know the result about STAP Cell research from the board of investigation in RIKEN yesterday. (Former article:[STAP Cell > easy explanation] Does it really exist? Nobody knows except researchers. But I believe still there is a hope.)

RIKEN announced like this.

1. The photo of STAP cell on the paper is doctored? >> Justified

2. The photo of placenta looks like same even the experiment is different. >> Justified

3. One of the photo of gene analysis is cut-and-paste? >> Unjustified: falsification

4. Did they copy the experiment technique from the other paper? >> Justified

5. The experiment technique is different from the actual procedure. >> Justified

6. Did Ms. Obogata divert the photo from her doctor's thesis? >> Unjustified: fabricated

They made a conclusion that Ms. Obogata did two fraudulent acts for the research. Her research collaborators: Mr. Wakayama and Mr. Kasai didn't do any fraudulent act but they didn't check her paper properly so they bear grave responsibility. 

I am so sad that Ms. Obogata did such things. I still can't believe it but this is the truth even today is April 1st. Why did she do this? Why RIKEN coudn't figure it out? We got a sad result but it is in many ways a mystery. A big mystery is "does STAP cell really exist???". We just want to know about it. The board of investigation, they just investigated whether there was a fraud. They said it is outside the reach of their investigation it may or may not exist.

I usually want to post a good and a nice thing of Japan or Japanese on this blog so this article is contrary to my intention but now I just want to know STAP exists or not.

Next article > [STAP Cell] Ms.Obogata's apology and objection

Thank you!

Aki    

[STAP Cell > easy explanation] Does it really exist? Nobody knows except researchers. But I still believe there is a hope.

I wrote an article about STAP cell before. Ms.Obogata and her research collaborators got successful to make STAP cell. But suspicion arises. Because there are some artifacts in their research paper and nobody can make STAP cell except the team of Ms.Obogata.   

The board of investigation in RIKEN, they are trying to find out whether the paper is true or not. Here are the key points of the investigation.

1. The photo of STAP cell on the paper is doctored?

2. The photo of placenta looks like same even the experiment is different.

3. One of the photo of gene analysis is cut and paste?

4. Did they copy the experiment technique from the other paper?

5. The experiment technique is different from the actual procedure.

6. Did Ms. Obogata divert the photo from her doctor's thesis?

At the press conference, they said they figured out that there is no doubt about 1 and 2. 

Ms. Obogata sent the photos to Nature, but the photo got the distortion when Nature uploaded the photos on the paper. So Ms.Obogata didn't doctor the photo. 

 A photo of placenta.

   It looks like same photo on another paper.

The board of investigation, they determined the photos are actually same photo. But the falsification is in the category.  No harm and they couldn't detect improper manipulation. But they still have to investigate for the remaining matters. 

I read a news paper today. All member of Ms. Obogata's team are trying to dismiss the paper in Nature. However a professor of Harvard University, Dr. Charls Vacanti who was a supervisor for Ms. Obogata when she was studying in USA is opposed to dismiss the paper. 

There is an opinion that they should dismiss the paper and try to make another paper without any doubt. In either case, we just want to know STAP cell really exists or not. There is no basis for believing that STAP cell is true now but I believe still there is a hope. I think they will dismiss the paper and make another paper to convince everybody in the world. The criticism is inherent to new. I hope they can show us a wonderful result again.

Ganbare~! Obogata-san!

(Next article: >[STAP Cell] Does it really exist????)

Thank you so much.

STAP Cell, It is just so amazing! No! More than amazing! You might be able to become younger!!!

STAP Cell From Youtube

RIKEN (is Japan's largest comprehensive research institution renowned for high-quality research in a diverse range of scientific disciplines.) has successfully created a new "embryo-stem cell". Simply stimulated with mildly acidic liquid, the cells of the body of the mouse change to the ES cell that can become any cell. 

People didn't believe that the cells of the body that a role is stated once can not change to the ES cell. It's a breakthrough to overturn the common sense of the life sciences! It was published as a lead story of the British science journal Nature electronic version on 29th.

Ms. Haruko Obogata (30) is an unit leader of  the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology (CDB) who has named STAP (Stimulus-Triggered Acquisition of Pluripotency) cell for the new embryo-stem cell.

Ms. Haruko Obogata From Youtube

She made STAP cell just 3 years after she got her PhD. It can be made more easily than iPS cells and the safety is excellent. To reshape the ES cell and the cells of the body, it is necessary to revert the cells to the state of a fertilized egg in the task of initialization. iPS cells initialize by introducing a gene. But STAP cell is simply immerse in acidic solution.

It was denied once from Nature. They said, "You are taunt the history of the cell biology of hundreds of years". "It's a mistake, I'm sure." Some researchers around were also puzzled, but she had a great deal of conviction that "It is useful for people always". She said, "I wanted quit my research and cried all night long many times. But I tried to work hard for just one day, today and just tomorrow. And I realized five years had passed. " She is very active person and a poor loser. She goes the limit. 

From Youtube 

She is very unique person. She doesn't wear a doctor's smock. She wears her grandmother's Japanese cooking apron. And her laboratory is very cute. She likes Moomin and turtle. 

From Youtube 

 There is Moomin's character on her lab's the wall. She said, "I feel lonely when I do experiments by myself, so the character helps me. "

From Youtube 

 This is her turtle in her lab.

From Youtube 

Only women are in her lab, I guess.

Still she has to try to make STAP cell by human cells, but I'm sure she can do it and it will help us a lot! This technology that the old cell reshapes to a younger cell. So If we can use this STAP cell, simply we can become younger! Oh my god! 

I want to write how come she could make STAP cell next time. She is just amazing. And RIKEN too!

Next article > [STAP Cell > easy explanation] Does it really exist? Nobody knows except researchers. But I still believe there is a hope.


Thank you so much!