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The market for brain repair jobs using transplanted nerve cells extends far beyond that of Parkinson's Disease, so a substitute that avoids the logistic and ethical problems of human fetal cells would be worth big money, and numerous competitors have entered the race. Investors eagerly back academic researchers and encourage haste, in hopes of reaching the bonanza first. Layton BioScience of Atherton, Calif. has a line of cultured neurons that originated in a human cancer, which they tried first in rats with artificially-induced PD or stroke. They used a tiny little stereotactic frame to locate the delivery site, just as in human subjects. Incidentally, the cells were still viable after cryogenic storage, a big plus. Following success with the rats, they turned directly to a trial of the LBS-Neurons on 12 human stroke victims, the first of whom is now waiting to see how things turn out. References: Science News, 22 Aug 1998:120-121 Experimental Neurology 1997:148:135-146 Experimental Neurology 1998:149:310-321 Cheers, Joe -- J. R. Bruman (818) 789-3694 3527 Cody Road Sherman Oaks, CA 91403-5013