S.Korea indicts stem cell scientist Hwang for fraud

SEOUL, May 12 (Reuters) South Korea has indicted a disgraced stem cell scientist at the centre of a fraud scandal on the criminal charge of suspicion of misusing state funds, a prosecutor said today.

Prosecutors have been investigating the team led by scientist Hwang Woo-suk since January after a panel at the university where Hwang once worked said his team deliberately fabricated key data in two research papers.

Hwang's research had raised hopes because it seemed to hasten the day when genetically specific tissue could be grown from embryonic stem cells to repair damaged organs or treat diseases such as Alzheimer's.

REUTERS PDS PM0723