Seoul National University said Monday that it has launched an investigation into allegations that another of its professors, Kang Kyung-sun at the College of Veterinary Medicine, fabricated parts of a stem cell research paper.

Kang, who is a leading scientist in stem cell studies, is known as a mentor to scandal-ridden professor Kang Su-kyung, who is accused of manipulating information in 14 research papers published in international journals.

According to the school, the probe came as a group of local scientists raised suspicions that Kang Kyung-sun’s photo images of stem cell research published in the April 10 online edition of Antioxidant & Redox Signaling had been fabricated. Researchers at Pohang University of Science and Technology wrote to the school’s Biological Research Information Center, alleging that the photos had been copied and pasted from another source and altered.

Kang Kyung-sun wrote the paper in question, with Kang Su-kyung participating as a co-author. Kang Su-kyung is currently under SNU investigation for allegedly fabricating data in four papers published in the same journal.

Kang Kyung-sun has reportedly told the school management that identical-looking test results could have presented themselves if examinations were conducted consecutively.

Kang was not available for comment.

Lee Joon-sik, SNU dean of research, told reporters that a fact-finding body will investigate all papers co-authored by the two researchers.

“To make a stern and prompt response to the recent allegations, the school decided to study the authenticity of all reports written by the two,” he said in a press conference on Monday. “It may take more than half a year, but we will take it through all the way. If necessary we will refer the case to a third party,” he added.

If the latest fabrication is substantiated, it would strike a larger blow to the local stem cell research field. Kang Kyung-sun leads the school’s cord blood research team and Kang Su-kyung has released results of extensive research over the past five years.

“Since fraudster Hwang Woo-suk, who manipulated the results of his embryonic stem cell cloning research, was caught in 2005, Korea has had to fight ignorance, suspicion and prejudice against Korean scientists’ ethics. If a slew of scandals hits once again, the aftereffect will be huge,” an industry insider said.

By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldcorp.com