Haruko Obokata
Haruko Obokata | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 25, 1983 |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Alma mater | Waseda University |
| Known for | STAP cells |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Stem cell research |
| Institutions | RIKEN |
| Thesis | Isolation of pluripotent adult stem cells discovered from tissues derived from all three germ layers (2011 (revoked in 2015)) |
| Doctoral advisor | Satoshi Tsuneda |
Haruko Obokata (小保方 晴子, Obokata Haruko, born 1983) is a former stem-cell biologist and research unit leader at Japan's Laboratory for Cellular Reprogramming, Riken Center for Developmental Biology. She claimed in 2014 to have developed a radical and remarkably easy way to generate stimulus-triggered acquisition of pluripotency (STAP) cells that could be grown into tissue for use anywhere in the body. In response to allegations of irregularities in Obokata's research publications involving STAP cells, Riken launched an investigation that discovered examples of scientific misconduct on the part of Obokata. Attempts to replicate Obokata's STAP cell results failed. The ensuing STAP cell scandal gained worldwide attention.