Japanese stem cell specialist committed suicide because he was suspected of the idea

Japan 's stem cell scientist yesterday found suicide hanging, after months of exhaustion and stress thought to be related to research suspected of faking data and plagiarizing.

Yoshiki Sasai, 52, was discovered by the police in a hanged posture at the Riken Development Biology Center in Kobe, eastern Japan. Local police spokesman confirmed that this is a suicide. At the scene, the police found 5 suicide letters that he left. Cause of the incident is under investigation.

Japanese stem cell specialist Yoshiki Sasai.(Photo: AFP)

According to Reuters, Sasai was hospitalized in March this year because of stress and little access to the media during his research with controversial colleagues. Spokesman for Satoru Kagaya said he seemed "completely exhausted" in a phone conversation the last time around May or June.

As the deputy director of the Riken Center for Development Biology, Sasai oversees Haruko Obokata's research, which resonates when published in the British journal Nature in January. However, the study was withdrawn later on suspicion of counterfeiting data and plagiarizing ideas.

Riken's investigation committee believes that Sasai was the main responsible for not confirming Obokata's research and ethical issues. This event appeared on the front page of many newspapers in Japan and affected the reputation of this country's scientific research.

Yoshiki Sasai is one of Japan's leading stem cell researchers and experts, with many researches that hope to replace damaged cells and even develop organs of the body. people. He is a major contributor in the field of developmental biology, a world-renowned researcher.

Stem cells are germ cells or foundation cells from which other human cell types are created. Stem cell research can be used to treat heart disease, diabetes and some other diseases.