----- Original Message -----
From: "Brightline" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Cc: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, June 19, 2002 9:50 PM
Subject: STEM CELL RESEARCH: BAD NEWS AND GOOD NEWS


> Dear friends:
>     I wanted to bring the following items  to your attention:
>
> BADNEWS:
>     I ran into these news items regarding stem cell research  in Nature
> Medicine, Vol. 8, No. 5, March 2002, pp. 200 and 201.
>     What is thought to be a pioneering research by the world wide media,
the
> publication  of the " first cloned human embryo" entitled 'Somatic cell
> Nuclear Transfer in Humans: Pronuclear and Early Embryonic Development'
in
> electronic journal by Massachusetts based Advanced  Cell Technology (ACT)
a
> small firm working toward therapeutic cloning with human and animal cells,
> has caused the resignation of three senior stem cell scientists from the
> editorial board of the journal.  Acccording to these scientists (D. Solter
> from the Max Plank Institute in Germany, J. Gearhart of hte Johns
> HopkinsSch. of Med, and R. Lovell-Badge of National Institute for Med Res
in
> London) the results were not conclusive.  Ian Wilmut an embryologist at
> Roslin Institte in Edinburgh, however, thinks "Nuclear transfer to produce
> human embryo is a very important area of research.  But, ACT research his
> very preliminary and is not ready for publication".  Another member of the
> editorial board T. Brazelton of Stanford Med School says he would have
> accepted the paper for publication, but had some reservations about the
> data.
>      The shocking news as in page no. 201 of the same issue:
>     NIH awarded the first Stem cell grant on 7 Feb, which was promptly
> turned down by the investigator R. Hawley of the Jerome H. Holland Labs of
> the American Red Cross in Rockville, MD!  This grant was awarded
> specifically to develop human embruonic stem cells (ES) that can be coaxed
> into becoming blood cells.  "Large charities like American Heart
> Association, have shied away from stem cell research, for fear of
alienating
> financial donors,"... writes Nature Medicine, although the Am Red Cross
has
> other explanations for refusing to accept the grant.  This indicates the
> existence of a general attitude of people shying away from stem cell
> research for fear of alienating charitable donors.
>
> GOOD NEWS:
>     Science Vol.96, pp. 1779-81. 7June 2002.
>     AUSTRALIA PUSHES STEM CELL ADVANTAGE:
>         "We want to take stem cells all the way to the patient" says cell
> biologist A. Trounson, head of the Monash Institute of Reproduction and
> Development and the Director of the new center.  Australian Government
will
> invest $ 25 million in this new Center for Stem Cells and Tissue Repair at
> Monash Univ in Melbourne to develop therapies based on existing ES cell
> lines and derive new stem cell lines from surplus in vitro fertilization
> created before 5 April 2002, as opposed to the restrictions for US
> scientists who can use cells created before 9 Aug 2001.  They are hoping
to
> bring stem-cell based therapy for leukemias within 5-7 years soon to be
> followed by cures for Parkinson's.  State government will put in
additional
> financing as well as two companies will also pump in aditional unspecified
> money into research on stem cell based therapy in both Monash Univ and
Univ
> of  Adelaide.  Some leading US stem cell scientists may be inclined to
move
> to Australia.  This development combined with the thrust of the Singapore
> Government in Stem Cell Researh (The British scientist involved in Dolly
has
> already moved to Singapore!) will result in a strong presence of Stem Cell
> Research in the South Pacific.
>
>         However, what we, the PWP, ideally need is the production of our
own
> stem cells by the nuclear transfer technology of ACT.
>         Therefore, we still have to fight hard to change the outlook of
not
> only the Senators and the Congressmen, but also the general public.  The
> only way to do that is what Tom Berdine is proposing.  Contacting
political
> leaders and educating the public by way of TV and Radio programs as well
as
> writing articles to Magazines and Newspapers.  Additionally, we can
> volunteer to speak to schools and local clubs (Lions Club, for example)
> about the stem cell technlogy and its implications to find cures for
various
> human diseases, not just Parkinson's.
>         Raj
>     [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
>

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