Adult stem cells are being manipulated around the world and advances are being made everywhere. Everywhere, that is, except for in the US, and it comes as no surprise to me that scientists aren’t interested in moving that research forward because if they did, it would invalidate their claims that they can’t do anything that didn’t involve embryonic cells.

The simple fact is that nothing has come of embryonic stem cell research thus far, and advances are being made everywhere else in the world using adult stem cells. Maybe if the guys in the US got off their duffs, they could join the party.

Adult stem cells are being manipulated around the world and advances are being made everywhere. Everywhere, that is, except for in the US, and it comes as no surprise to me that scientists aren’t interested in moving that research forward because if they did, it would invalidate their claims that they can’t do anything that didn’t involve embryonic cells.

The simple fact is that nothing has come of embryonic stem cell research thus far, and advances are being made everywhere else in the world using adult stem cells. Maybe if the guys in the US got off their duffs, they could join the party.

Here’s another.

Here’s another.

It’s research. It’s moving forward. Things will change.

I have a lot more faith in people who are doing things than people who complain about what they can’t do.

Here’s another.

Here’s another.

It’s research. It’s moving forward. Things will change.

I have a lot more faith in people who are doing things than people who complain about what they can’t do.

But the iPS cells aren’t perfect, and could not be used safely to make genetically matched cells for transplant in, for example, spinal-cord injuries. Yamanaka found that one of the factors seems to contribute to cancer in 20% of his chimaeric mice. He thinks this can be fixed, but the retroviruses used may themselves also cause mutations and cancer. “This is really dangerous. We would never transplant these into a patient,” says Jaenisch. In his view, research into embryonic stem cells made by cloning remains “absolutely essential”.

But the iPS cells aren’t perfect, and could not be used safely to make genetically matched cells for transplant in, for example, spinal-cord injuries. Yamanaka found that one of the factors seems to contribute to cancer in 20% of his chimaeric mice. He thinks this can be fixed, but the retroviruses used may themselves also cause mutations and cancer. “This is really dangerous. We would never transplant these into a patient,” says Jaenisch. In his view, research into embryonic stem cells made by cloning remains “absolutely essential”.