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News
Two teams of scientists announced in November 2007 that they have reprogramed human skin cells into cells that behave like embryonic stem cells, bypassing the need to use embryos or egg cells and the ethical questions associated with those techniques. The teams—one led by James Thomson, who published in Science, and the other led by Japan’s Shinya Yamanaka—transformed the skin cells by inserting a series of genes. Cells derived by this technique are known as “induced pluripotent stem cells” or “iPS.”
Opponents of human embryonic stem cell research, including President Bush, hailed the development, while many scientists and patient advocates continued the call for the government to fund all avenues of stem cell research.
A Washington Post editorial by Thomson and AAAS CEO Alan Leshner said the landmark studies are “only a first step on the long road toward eventual therapies.”
A subsequent Science paper showed iPS cells to have therapeutic potential. A team of researchers announced they had used such cells to alleviate symptoms of sickle cell anemia in mice.
Earlier in November, another team of scientists announced they had derived stem cells from cloned monkey embryos. Previously this technique had only been performed successfully in mice.
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Images: Nissim Benvenisty |
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Key Stem Cell Research Legislation
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Featured Science & Technology in Congress
Articles
Stem Cell Bill Vetoed Again
On June 20, President Bush issued his second veto on the Stem Cell Research
Enhancement Act, a bill to enhance federal support of embryonic stem cell research
that follows certain ethical guidelines. He also issued an executive order encouraging
federal research on stem cells derived by alternative methods-such as research
on "naturally dead" embryos. This type of research was championed
by members such as Sens. Norm Coleman (R-MO) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA) who sponsored
a bill (S. 30) with similar provisions that passed the Senate but has yet to
move in the House. Many questions remain about those alternative methods, which
are in their early phases of development and are already eligible for NIH funding. Continue
reading ...
Senate Passes Two Stem Cell Bills
As expected, the Senate passed two stem cell bills on April 11. S. 5, the Stem
Cell Research Enhancement Act, is this year's version of the bill Bush vetoed
last year. It passed with a vote of 63-34. S. 5 supporters were hoping to win
a symbolic victory by securing a veto-proof majority in the Senate. But even
with the three non-voting Democrats-Sens. Christopher Dodd (CN), Mary Landrieu
(LA), and Tim Johnson (SD)-the bill would only have 66 Senate supporters, one
shy of the two-thirds vote necessary for a veto override. Continue
reading ...
House Passes Stem Cell Bill as Part of "First 100 Hours" Agenda
On January 11, the House passed H.R. 3, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act,
which would expand researcher access to embryonic stem cell lines. The bill,
sponsored by Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Mike Castle (R-DE), was identical to last
year's H.R. 810, the first bill President Bush vetoed. The current bill has
continued to garner bipartisan support; with a Roll Call of 253 to 174, it picked
up 15 more votes since last year's tally. With another Bush veto imminent, however,
the House is still 37 votes shy of the 2/3 majority necessary to override that
veto. Continue
reading ...
Stem Cell Research Statements and Letters
--AAAS Asks
Bush to Reconsider Veto (June 7, 2007)
--AAAS Urges
Senate Support for Expanding Federally Funded Stem Cell Research (April
9, 2007)
--AAAS Urges
House Support for Expanding Federally Funded Stem Cell Research. (January
8, 2007)
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for more...
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Updated August 15, 2007
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