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----- 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] > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn