A leading Chinese scientist who shot to fame after growing a human ear on a mouse presented evidence on Saturday to support his work, after accusations of scientific fraud were levelled against him in June.
The allegations have cost Dr Cao Yilin a chance to win China's highest science honour.
Cao, a renowned plastic surgeon, presented eight laboratory mice with human ears on their backs for inspection, defying accusations he cheated the government out of millions of yuan in research money by submitting fake results, the Shanghai-based Oriental Morning Post reported after a press conference on the issue was held in the city on Saturday.
Cao grew the ears by seeding human cartilage cells into a biodegradable ear-shaped mould and transplanting this onto the back of a hairless mouse. He first conducted the experiment with a research team at Harvard University in the mid-1990s and published the results in 1997.
However, his achievement was called into question after a former co-worker, Dr Shang Qingxin, told media in May that the 'ear mouse' Cao brought to an exhibition organised by the Chinese government in 2001 did not have human cartilage cells, but rather polyester, in the ear it carried, and that it 'mysteriously' died soon after the event.
Shanghai Jiao Tong University, where Cao holds a senior position, launched an investigation into his research after the accusation and said at the press conference on Saturday that a panel of eight surgeons believed Cao's achievement was real after examining the eight 'ear mice' he created in the past two months.