Haruko Obokata

In this Japanese name, the surname is Obokata.

Haruko Obokata
Born (1983-09-25) September 25, 1983 (age 41)
Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan[2]
NationalityJapanese
Alma materWaseda University
Known forSTAP cells
Scientific career
FieldsStem cell research
InstitutionsRIKEN
ThesisIsolation of pluripotent adult stem cells discovered from tissues derived from all three germ layers (2011 (revoked in 2015))
Doctoral advisorSatoshi Tsuneda[1]

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.

  1. ^ "Obokata had free way of thinking since childhood". The Japan News. Yomiuri Shimbun. February 2, 2014. Archived from the original on February 10, 2014. Retrieved February 3, 2014.
  2. ^ "STAP cell pioneer nearly gave up on her research". The Asahi Shimbun. January 30, 2014. Archived from the original on January 30, 2014.