Breaking News File

Adult stem cells show promise in treating ALS

A story on PhysOrg.com shows a recent experiment using adult stem cells was able to slow the progression of ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) in rats. Wisconsin scientists used adult stem cells from bone marrow to transfer a growth factor into the nerves that connect to muscles, protecting them from the disease's progression.

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Australia allows human cloning

A Reuters story reports the Australian government has issued its first license for scientists to begin cloning humans. Australia lifted its ban on therapeutic cloning in 2006, meaning that any human created through cloning must be killed before he or she is born under Australian law. Scientists will attempt to isolate embryonic stem cells from the killed human embryos.

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iPS cells produced directly from patient

Dr. David Prentice from the Family Research Council writes about the recent advance with turning skin cells from patients with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) into a neuron similar to the type the disease attacks. This shows for the first time iPS cells can produce specialized cells from a patient with a disease. “The results of this study should put another nail in cloning's coffin,” Dr. Prentice said.

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Study finds big roadblock with using human embryonic stem cells

U.S. News & World Report has a story on a Stanford study showing that using human embryonic stem cells in mice triggered immune system responses. It could be a big roadblock in using embryonic stem cells in humans, since immune system rejection would cause significant health problems in patients.

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Condit: Continue ban on embryo-destructive research

In a Lansing State-Journal editorial, Dr. Donald Condit explains Michigan's law which prohibits killing human embryos and shares some of the reasons why the Michigan State Medical Society voted to take a neutral position on the embryonic stem cell research issue.

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DANGER! Embryonic stem cell research with NO restrictions ahead

Proponents of embryonic stem cell research in Michigan are constantly claiming they want

Michigan researchers to be on the "cutting edge" of embryonic stem cell experiments. The recent announcement out of Britain that scientists there have been able to create cloned embryos by mixing human DNA with the eggs of cows in an attempt to get embryonic stem cells demonstrates where that cutting edge is.

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