Stellenbosch University demands return of DNA samples - but UK lab hits back

Stellenbosch University has demanded that a UK-based laboratory return DNA samples that the laboratory allegedly wanted to commercialise without consent.

The DNA and associated data had been shared for research purposes with the Wellcome Sanger Institute. The samples had been collected from indigenous groups in countries including SA and Botswana.

In March, the university served the institute with notice to return the samples and its data, but said it had not received any response.

“The university has been investigating this matter since early 2019, and we have instructed the Wellcome Sanger Institute to cease any current or planned commercial activities related to the DNA and data in question, and to return the samples and data to the university,” said university spokesperson Martin Viljoen.

The DailyMail reported that donors were told the samples would be used for “population history and human evolution” and were shared by the university under “material transfer arrangements”.

Seven months after it wrote the letter to the lab, the university said it had acquired neither the DNA samples, nor the data.

“We are currently awaiting a full response from the institute. We have made contact with the relevant community participants to inform them of the university’s course of action and to request their in-principle support. The university remains in contact with the relevant community and will keep them informed of further developments,” said Viljoen.

Contacted by TimesLIVE this week, the laboratory disputed the allegations and said that a commercialisation proposal was brought forth by an individual employed at the lab, which it did not approve.  

“Last year, relationships with some African partners in a particular project were disrupted. The cause of concern was a potential commercialisation proposal from an individual working at the institute at the time. The institute did not pursue this proposal,” it said.

The director of communications at the institute, Steve Palmer, said the laboratory had been cleared of any wrongdoing by an independent investigation.  

“These allegations are false. In 2018, an independent barrister examined these issues and found that no wrongdoing took place. In fact, as part of a robust follow-up process that the institute undertook, further legal opinion from an expert in this field has confirmed that no wrongdoing occurred,” said Palmer. 

Contrary to claims made by Stellenbosch, Palmer said the institute had maintained contact with the “partners” involved. 

“Over the past six months, the Sanger Institute has been in contact with the African partners directly to discuss the problems that arose and to avoid similar situations in the future,” he said.  

The University of KwaZulu-Natal launched its own investigation into the matter.

Palmer said, “The research was to support scientific discovery with partners working in Africa. The scientific collaboration we undertook with our partners was not the basis of any for-profit commercial work for the Sanger Institute. The institute has not commercialised any products based on this research and has not received and will not financially benefit from any revenues.”