TGIF! Some attempts at humor to release STAP cell stress

Sometimes a situation is so bad or stressful that it just calls out for some comic relief and the STAP cell mess seems to be one of those.

Below are various silly attempts at STAP humor to hopefully release some of that stress. (By the way you might enjoy this 2020 piece on whatever happened to Obokata).

STAP cell cartoon 2014
My STAP cell cartoon.

Some doodling of hypothetical Dr. Bob and Dr. Sue trying to replicate STAP in a lab and being super stressed with a surprising consequence…
Other names for STAP stem cells?

Some said we should call them “SWAP cells” because of the image mixups.

Instead of “Oh snap!”, maybe the new expression is going to be “Oh STAP!”

Jim Woodgett

Jim Woodgett called the situation a “STAP in the back” on Twitter (see above).

Alan Boltz

Alan Boltz came up for a new meaning for the STAP acronym on Twitter above.

I’ve heard other new definitions for STAP:

  • Stressful Time After Paper
  • Stress-Triggering, Aggravating Publications
  • Stop Talking About these Papers

Please leave over alternative, funny definitions for the STAP acronym in the comments.

It’s ironic that STAP as an acronym can really stand for “Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel”.

An entire parody article was posted on another blog entitled “Stem cells created by dipping researchers in coffee”. It’s kinda humorous in a geeky way.

I’ve also seen STAP compared to the process by which mild-mannered Peter Banner turns into the Incredible Hulk (which is appropriately enough also green) when he’s stressed out.

Other attempts at STAP humor to help deal with the stress?

4 thoughts on “TGIF! Some attempts at humor to release STAP cell stress”

  1. homologue of ES1

    STAP: Sasai’s troublesome affair provoking cell (or phenomenon)
    The process and the decisive factors about her promotion to a PI of that important position is totaly unclear and needs clarification. It is extraordinary in Japan for a person of that age with unimpressive achievement. In addition to neutral meaning of ‘affair’, there is a speculation that there was an affair with Dr Sasai, who is said to say in public “I’m Kevin Costner” before the STAP affair becomes apparent, which is understood as the man potent to be an actor as well as a film director. As you know Dr Sasai is the Vice Director of Riken CDB and is regarded as responsible for this affair.

  2. This will probably add more stress, but here’s doodling by the STAP author herself. In desperation, the Obokata side released some pages in her lab notebook. I found it rather humorous.
    http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20140508-00050098-yom-sci.view-000
    (Above the drawing)
    On the teratoma analysis

    (Below the drawing)
    (Ineligible) large transplant
    No. 2 has the largest (ineligible)
    Teratoma PFA fixation
    After sectioning, staining

    1. Ryu Kashiwase

      I am a student from Japan who is staying in Canada.
      Actually,I am not familiar with scientist field,and I don’t know if I am a right person to post or not.
      But I decide post it, because there is the important thing to tell all of you.
      That is-
      “Please doubt about the information form Japanese mass media.”
      They aren’t broadcasting about this News correctly.
      I connect her lawyer in Face Book, and I found Obokata’s insist is different from what mass media is saying in many case.
      I can not judge which is right or not,but anyway different.
      Because he (lawyer) is saying like – the note is not all of her note because we can not show it for many reasons.
      But Japanese mass media is broadcasting like – This is all of her note,what a sloppy investigation ! As I said,I am not familiar with science field,but now this matter is getting social issue ( because RIKEN won’t give her chance to disprove it, mass media is broadcasting about her too negatively.)
      I am so scared of spreading her bad rumor. Maybe she is not matured as scientist,but the information from Japan is too one-sided. To prevent from your being biased,I will post the information as long as I can.  Thank you for reading.

    2. Her descriptions don’t look professional at all.
      Here’s some addition to your translation;
      1) ”callus” large transplant
      2) No.2 “is” the largest “mouse”
      ( maybe she meant “callus”, not “mouse” )

      You can read other pages here;
      http://www.asahi.com/articles/photo/AS20140507005625.html

      The other pages are not the real copies, but the texts typed by her lawyer. Why is that? No explanations so far.

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