LONDON, Sept. 15 (UPI) -- Scientists at a London conference Monday said they believe stem cells offer a realistic hope
of the development of treatments for Parkinson's disease.
The BBC reported Olle Lindvall, a researcher from Lund University in Sweden, said cell transplants could help halt
physical decline caused by the illness.
Stem cells are the body's "master cells", and could be transformed into new brain cells to replace those lost to
illness.
But Lindvall cautioned that treatments could take time to develop. He made his statements during a presentation to a
meeting of more than 500 stem cell researchers organized by Britain's Medical Research Council.
Said Lindvall, "I am convinced that stem cell technology can become, in the future, a cure for conditions leading to
brain injury -- but I think we have a long way to go."
Embryo stem cell research remains controversial, with many people opposed to it. However, researchers say they hope
that eventually, cells from adults could be "persuaded" by chemicals in the laboratory to behave more like embryonic or
fetal stem cells.
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