[Fsf-friends] [Free/Libre and] Open-Source Approach Works to Find Stem Cell Fabrications

[Frederick Noronha (FN)]

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/tech/200602/kt2006020616301311780.htm

Linux, Hwang Woo-suk and Lies
Open-Source Approach Works to Find Stem Cell Fabrications

By Kim Tae-gyu
Staff Reporter

Shown above is a captured picture of the Web site of the
Biological Research Information Center. The site played a
pivotal role in finding out stem cell paper fabrications by
cloning scientist Hwang Woo-suk. Linux, the open-source
software, seems to have nothing to do with South Korea’s
disgraced cloning scientist Hwang Woo-suk, at least at a
glance.

Yet, a professor points out the fall of Hwang’s once-hailed
saga on cloned stem cells does relate to the spirit of Linux
-- to improve something using the teamwork of anonymous
people.

"Look at the process of how Hwang’s purported medical
exploits on stem cells proved to be lies. Then you can taste
the spirit of Linux," Prof. Min Kyung-bae at Kyung Hee Cyber
University said.

"Just as glitches in Linux continue to be fixed by developers
from across the world because its underlying sources are
open, Korea’s young scientists collaborated to discredit
Hwang," he said.

Indeed, a group of young scientists who casually visited the
Web site of the state-backed Biological Research Information
Center (BRIC), at bric.postech.ac.kr, played a pivotal role
in detecting Hwang’s fakes.

    A woman fidgets in her bag before getting off the subway
    without clearing poop of her pet. After this photo was
    revealed through the Internet last year, she became the
    target of nationwide criticism. When the public was
    leaning toward allowing Hwang to prove the veracity of
    his team’s stem cell research last December, they changed
    the tide by pinpointing how Hwang doctored data.

Their findings prompted Seoul National University (SNU),
where Hwang worked, to get to the bottom of "Hwanggate," and
SNU finally concluded most of Hwang’s purported exploits were
hoaxes.

Likewise, Linux, a free and open-source software first
developed by Finnish university student Linus Torvals, is the
result of numerous people’s efforts.

Unlike such disclosed-source operating systems as Microsoft
Windows, the source codes of Linux are available to the
public and anyone can freely use, modify and redistribute it.

Programmers upgrade Linux seamlessly to improve it. Such
worldwide collaboration empowers Linux, which now poses a
genuine threat to the thus-far dominant Microsoft Windows.

"Both cases amply demonstrate that collective intelligence
always scores a victory over monopolistic players, such as
Microsoft or Hwang," Min said.

"That might not be true in the short run. But over the long
haul, I firmly believe the power of conscious folks
overwhelms power ruled by a handful of secrecy-obsessed inner
circle members," he said.

Linux-Like Culture & Fall of Stem Cell Myth

In Feb. 2004, Hwang dramatically lionized himself by
announcing he and his crew had cloned human embryos and
extracted stem cells from them in an article in the
U.S.-based journal Science.

He strengthened his reputation last May with a highly touted
follow-up paper, which was also printed by Science, on
tailor-made stem cells.

The 53-year-old claimed that his team had established a total
of 11 stem cells of somatic cells of as many patients
suffering from incurable diseases or inabilities.

The customized stem cells were expected to open the door to
so-called "cell therapy." The cells, when transplanted, are
supposed to retain an ability to become any type of cell in
the human body.

The off-the-rack cells especially draw attention because they
were believed not to trigger immune responses in
transplantation since they were cloned from patients
themselves.

However, the Hwang’s star fell as abruptly as it rose: the
SNU professor was found to have fabricated data for the
papers.

Linux Penguin

An investigative panel at SNU concluded that Hwang’s team
never created cloned embryonic stem cells, and a police
investigation is now underway.

A local TV network, MBC, initially raised suspicions on the
veracity of Hwang’s works late last year but the allegation
was on the verge of being discarded due to controversies over
the broadcaster’s inappropriate way of collecting data
regarding Hwang.

MBC was revealed to have threatened some of Hwang's
underlings and that drew the ire of many Korean citizens, who
lashed out at the TV station and asked them to stop
investigating the legitimacy of the stem cell papers.

At the time, the BRIC site surfaced and anonymous writers
voluntarily subjected the photos documented in Hwang’s
Science papers to microscopic scrutiny.

A pair of frequenters at the site posted a message saying the
Science pictures seemed to be fabricated, and others
confirmed the suspicion by showing how the they were cooked.

Their allegations were backed with material evidence and
gained a broad-based acknowledgement. SNU finally launched
probes into the case to eventually uncovered the fakes.

          "A number of Korea’s no-name scientists did what
          even keen-eyed referees at the illustrious Science
          journal could not do during the review process. It
          amply demonstrates the powers of collaboration and
          Korea’s Linux-type Internet culture," Min said.

Negative Aspect of Korean Internet Culture

Although Koreans could detect Hwang’s misconduct through the
collective intelligence coupled with its unique Internet
culture, some observers say this could be problematic.

"Korea's boisterous Internet culture can end up as cyber
terrorism at any time because the country’s awareness of
ethics falls short of its technical reputation," Prof. Lee
Su-jin at Kookmin University said.

"Let me take an example. See the so-called dog excrement girl
who became the target of an Internet witch-hunt due to a
really minor reason," she said.

Last year, a woman got off a subway car without cleaning up
her pet's poop. Then her photograph was posted on the Web,
and netizens relentlessly attacked the girl, turning the
event into a kind of nation-wide cyber lynching.

She might not be able to lead a normal life afterwards since
some netizens revealed her name, age and school, usually
under the veil of anonymity.

The incident, which showed that ordinary citizens as well as
public figures can fall victim to cyber attacks, raised alarm
flags for many people who have experienced attacks and
groundless criticism on the Internet.

"The case reveals the flip side of Korea’s Internet culture.
Sometimes it works in the right direction but sometimes it
does not. We need to be aware of it," Prof. Lee at Kookmin
said.

Prof. Min at Kyung Hee concurs.

"Our Internet culture is kind of a double-edged sword. It can
help Korean society to be transparent and scandal-free as
shown by the Hwanggate, but it can trigger scandal itself or
spawn innocent victims," Min said.