Teruhiko Wakayama

Teruhiko Wakayama is a Japanese researcher at the University of Yamanashi's Advanced Biotechnology Center, recognized as a leading figure in cloning research. He is currently newsworthy due to the publication of a study concluding a 20-year experiment on serial cloning in mice. Wakayama's team successfully cloned over 1,200 mice across 58 generations. The research demonstrates that repeated cloning in mammals has limitations. After approximately 25 generations, cloned animals begin to exhibit mutations. Beyond 57 generations, cloning becomes incompatible with life. This research highlights the importance of sexual reproduction for maintaining genetic diversity and preventing the accumulation of detrimental mutations, demonstrating that cloning is not an infinite process in mammals.