In recent weeks, various queries have been raised concerning the validity of recent findings on STAP cells by a team of Japanese scientists, with some who work as part of the investigation team suggesting that the Nature paper, co-authored by young researcher Obokata Haruko, be withdrawn altogether until any issues can be addressed.
In particular, there have been accusations of plagiarism and the reuse of identical images in the paper, which have led to concern among the academic community.
Now, Hamusoku netizens appears to have found what they claim is Obokata’s PhD thesis online, and have pointed out that the introductory chapter in the thesis appears to have been lifted, word for word, from the U.S. National Institutes of Health website. While this in itself is not as serious an accusation as plagiarizing scientific results (which has also been suggested), it is unlikely to be ignored by those who are already convinced that something is amiss.
The information from the NIH website, and Obokata’s supposed thesis appear below, so you can decide for yourself. But do bear in mind that Obokata has yet to speak out about the situation; these sources have not yet been verified.
From Hamusoku.com:
[Women In Science LOL] Obokata Haruko’s PhD Thesis Discovered To Be Plagiarized…Obokata Haruko Proves That You Can Get A Waseda PhD With A Plagiarized Thesis
ハムスター２ちゃんねる: [OP]
Virtually every sentence of the introductory chapter of Obokata’s PhD thesis, entitled “BACKGROUND” has been plagiarized from the NIH site below (Stem Cell Basics):http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/pages/basics1.aspx
Obokata’s complete PhD thesis:
Pdf file of “Background” [introductory chapter] (including cover page and contents). http://stapcells.up.seesaa.net/image/Background.pdf
Virtually every sentence has been plagiarized from http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/pages/basics1.aspx …
落合陽一 / Yoichi OCHIAI:
How could it even be possible! I thought. But then I read the two versions, and they’re completely the same. RT @JuuichiJigen Virtually every sentence has been plagiarized from http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/pages/basics1.aspx …
Yamame＠idea:
@ochyai It’s exactly the same LMFAO www Nah, nah, I mean, people always have this kind of problem when they’re citing others…but it starts with the very first sentence!!!!!!… This is deplorable…
論文捏造＆研究不正:
Oh, and by the way, the picture marked Figure 1, which is in “Background”, appears to have been borrowed from a picture that has been uploaded here http://www.visembryo.com/baby/NewsArchive136.html …
論文捏造＆研究不正:
In the Novartis Diovan clinical research scandal, I hear that it was really difficult to accept the clinical research thesis from Japan [where clinical data were altered by Japanese scientists], but this time, with Obokata, it seems that even the fundamental research thesis will probably be really difficult to accept. What a pity.
Comments from Hamusoku.com:
ハムスター名無し:
Waseda Loonyversity www
ハムスター名無し:
New genre: plagiarism girls.
ハムスター名無し:
This is bad.
ハムスター名無し:
Science girls (笑)
ハムスター名無し:
Just what you expect from a private university (笑)
ハムスターちゃんねる:
Another Samuragochi Mamoru, huh?
ハムスターちゃんねる:
That person’s life as a researcher is over.
ハムスター名無し:
Guess it’s better to have people submit their thesis via turnitin.com? (Troubling).
ハムスター名無し:
I’m past the pain, and now I’m just angry.
There really is nothing she can do to come back from this.
ハムスターちゃんねる:
If it were an undergraduate dissertation, well, I’d kind of understand that, but you just don’t do that with a PhD thesis. They put them in the National Library ffs…Anyone can browse them.
ハムスターちゃんねる:
Man, Waseda is cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeap (笑)
ハムスターちゃんねる:
These admissions office admissions to Waseda [not just entry exam; extra curricular activities etc are considered] are no good.
ハムスターちゃんねる:
I’m really disappointed.
I feel like we’ve all been made fools of.
ハムスター名無し:
I’ve had enough.
ハムスターちゃんねる:
She must have some balls to plagiarize something that anyone can browse in the National Library, or maybe she’s just stupid…
That’s what science girls (笑) are like
ハムスターちゃんねる:
Just when you think how rapidly her reputation had risen, it’s already fallen rapidly too.
It’s like a rollercoaster.
ハムスターちゃんねる:
First and foremost, get the hell out there and say something! If this is all a lie then Japan should be ashamed.
ハムスターちゃんねる:
This isn’t just a question of morals…
ハムスター名無し:
Just what we expect from a super liberal university.
What can you do? They’re just trash.
ハムスターちゃんねる:
It’s a mystery to me that people are bashing the university instead of Obokata www
ハムスター名無し:
It looks like the investigation committee, which also has independent experts, is going to publish its progress report, so let’s wait until then, without worrying about the results…
