Once upon a time this blog and major outlets around the world were regularly writing about a Japanese stem cell researcher named Haruko Obokata (小保方 晴子). Whatever happened to Obokata and the other folks directly involved in STAP cell research? First, a bit of background because maybe still a few people never heard of STAP cells […]
Whatever happened to the STAP cell scientists including Haruko Obokata? Read More »
What were the top posts here on The Niche for the past year? I’ve listed some of them below along with some posts from 2015 that remain highly read. Some top 2016 posts 20 Nominees for Stem Cell Person of the Year 2016 Award REGROW Act is Attack on Science-Based Stem Cell Trial Oversight Will new
The Niche top posts of 2016 Read More »
Haruko Obokata is most well-known for her role as first author of the now retracted two STAP cell Nature papers. These manuscripts claimed to have made pluripotent and even totipotent stem cells simply by stressing cells out with acid treatment or in other ways. Nobody else could get this method to work to create the so-called
Haruko Obokata (小保方 晴子) website posts dubious STAP cell validation data Read More »
Even as the book of Haruko Obokata (小保方 晴子) had been fading in popularity on Amazon Japan (update: it is now increasing again), there is some other news with her as she has launched a new website. The website, STAP Hope Page, seems to often not work now, but you can also see it here via
Haruko Obokata (小保方 晴子) launches new website with STAP claims Read More »
The Japan Times has the first detailed account in English about Haruko Obokata’s new book, “That Day”. HT to blog reader Shinsakan. (update: another helpful piece on this from the WSJ). In the book, Obokata (who was widely blamed for the STAP cell fiasco) seeks to shift the blame to others according to the paper.
Obokata claims she was framed for STAP cell scandal Read More »
Haruko Obokata reportedtly has written a book that is somewhat of a memoir of her life including the STAP cell scandal. The exact nature of the book remains mostly a mystery at this point. It should be out on the 2nd anniversary of the STAP cell papers being published. Kyodo News gives some more details
Haruko Obokata (小保方 晴子) new book on STAP cells & more Read More »
The publication yesterday of two papers refuting the existence of so-called STAP cells marches us closer as a field toward closure on this unfortunate situation. Close, but not quite there. We know a lot more about what went happened, but 5 key questions remain. There is a chance that we may never get answers to
Key Remaining Questions about STAP Cell Mess Read More »
Today marks nearing the completion of a full circle for one of science’s biggest controversies: the STAP cell fiasco. Today STAP cells are completely refuted with the publication of two new papers in Nature and we know much more–with some notable gaps still–about what went wrong. STAP cells debunked In January of last year, an
New Nature papers debunk STAP cells Read More »
The annual ISSCR meeting has started in Stockholm. This is always a great annual meeting both for the science and for connecting with people including new friends and colleagues as well as old friends. Another element to the meeting is the insider conversations in the halls, restaurants, and bars that tell a behind the scenes
Insider Trends on Stem Cells to Look Out for at ISSCR 2015 Stockholm Read More »
It seems hard to believe it was a year ago that the STAP cell Nature papers came out to much fanfare on January 29, 2014. These now discredited and retracted papers reported a supposed new method to easily make reprogrammed powerful stem cells, a finding touted as a Nobel Prize-worthy discovery. Now a year later on
Personal Reflections on STAP Cell Mess On 1-Year Anniversary Read More »