The lead researcher of stem cell papers hailed to be a game-changer in the field of medical biology has been accused of misconduct involving fabrication by Japan's top investigation research body on Tuesday, BBC News reported.

Dr. Haruko Obokata has been accused by the Riken Centre panel of fabricating her work in an intentionally misleading manner in her two published papers in the scientific journal Nature in January.

The two papers "detailed simple ways to reprogram mature animal cells back to an embryonic-like state, allowing them to generate many types of tissues," Fox News reported.

The panel's findings suggest the scientific papers to consist of irregularities in data and images. However, Obokata rejected the accusations and claimed to stand by her work.

In the paper, it was claimed that stem cells could be produced by using an acid bath or mechanical stress. "There were high hopes about the technique that promised to offer a cheap and ethical source of stem cells," according to BBC News.

"Stem cells can become any other type of tissue and are already being investigated to heal the damage caused by a heart attack and to restore sight to the blind," BBC News reported.

But as other research groups have not been able to reproduce her results, experts have started to question Obokata's findings.

Another red flag was raised when images from different experiments had been used in one of Obokata's articles for her doctoral dissertation.

"Actions like this completely destroy data credibility," Shunsuke Ishii, head of the Riken committee, told a news conference.

"There is no doubt that she was fully aware of this danger. We've therefore concluded this was an act of research misconduct involving fabrication."

Obokata has stated that she will be challenging Riken's findings and will be filing a complaint, BBC News reported.

"I'm filled with shock and indignation," she said. "If things stay as they are, misunderstanding could arise that the discovery of stap [stem] cells itself is forgery. That would be utterly unacceptable."