Stem Cells

The University of Nebraska's governing board was expected to vote Friday on a resolution that would limit stem-cell research at the university system's facilities to rules approved under former President George W. Bush. The vote by the Board of Regents would come eight months after President Barack Obama removed government funding restrictions on new stem-cell lines. Supporters of stem-cell research hope it will lead to cures for diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Opponents believe embryos, which are destroyed during the research, are the starting point of human life and destroying them is immoral. "Overall, the debate still deeply divides, because any concession ... Read Full Story

The University of Nebraska's governing board was expected to vote Friday on a resolution that would limit stem-cell research at the university system's facilities to rules approved under former President George W. Bush. The vote by the Board of Regents would come eight months after President Barack Obama removed government funding restrictions on new stem-cell lines. Supporters of stem-cell research hope it will lead to cures for diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Opponents believe embryos, which are destroyed during the research, are the starting point of human life and destroying them is immoral. "Overall, the debate still deeply divides, because any concession ... Read Full Story

Why Bank Your Baby's Cord Blood? Dear Friends: I recently received this solicitation in my inbox. It might be of great interest to you. While we do not offer medical, legal, financial or any other type of professional advice or expertise here at LINKS 4 LIFE , and while we will not be a party to any debate about stem cell research, or any other ethical, religious or political issue, there is a concentration of stem cells in a newborn's umbilical cord which can be extracted and preserved without any harm or injury to the child. These cells are naturally compatible (and will continue to be) ... Read Full Story

The University of Nebraska's governing board on Friday voted not to place tighter restrictions on embryonic stem cell research than those outlined under federal guidelines, which were expanded after President Barack Obama took office. The Board of Regents, which is elected, voted 4-4 on a proposition to limit the stem cell research at the university to types allowed under President George W. Bush. The board needed a majority of its eight members to approve the measure, and many backers thought they had the necessary votes. But board member Jim McClurg, who was endorsed for his post by an anti-abortion group that opposes embryonic stem ... Read Full Story

French doctors on Friday said they had used human embryonic stem cells to grow skin that one day may be used as potentially life-saving temporary patches for patients suffering bad burns. The laboratory achievement has been tested on mice and not yet on human volunteers, but the researchers believe it could be a boon for surgeons striving to save patients awaiting skin grafts. For more than two decades, the main way to help burns patients has been to take some of their skin cells, called keratinocytes, and grow them in a lab in order to replace the damaged area. But this process takes around ... Read Full Story

Embryonic stem cell therapy got a step closer to the clinic Thursday after US researchers said they filed a request for government approval of human trials. The trials would involve 12 patients losing their sight to a currently untreatable disease called Stargardt, which is one of the most common forms of juvenile blindness. The treatment would consist of a single injection of retinal cells derived from embryonic stem cells. Previous studies in rats and mice have found that the treatment prevented further vision loss without adverse side effects, said Robert Lanza, the chief scientific officer at Advanced Cell Technology. It works by replacing lost ... Read Full Story

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Advanced Cell Technology, a small Massachusetts-based biotechnology company, said on Thursday it has asked for approval to test human embryonic stem cells in treating a rare cause of blindness. The company said it filed an IND, an investigational new drug application, with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to use the stem cells to treat patients with Stargardt's macular dystrophy. If approved, it would be the second U.S. approval to test human embryonic stem cells in human patients. Geron Inc won approval in January to test human embryonic stem cells to treat paraplegic patients who can use their upper bodies but ... Read Full Story