Senate panel seeks word on human embryonic stem cells

Developmental biologist James A. Thomson, whose successful isolation and culturing of human embryonic stem cells made headlines around the world last month, testified today (Dec. 2) before the Senate appropriations committee in Washington.

Thomson joins National Institutes of Health Director Harold Varmus, Johns Hopkins biologist John Gearhart and others to explain the science and potential of work with cells that have the potential to transform important aspects of human biology and medicine.

Because the cells were obtained from donated human embryos, important ethical issues are at stake and Congress may seek ways to control the technology. Because federal funding for work with human embryos is proscribed, Congress now has no way of regulating work that many ethicists feel should have some oversight. Although the federal government does not fund such work, there are no regulatory barriers to working with embryos donated for research and such work might otherwise take place in private.

Thomson’s work at UW–Madison was funded by the Geron Corp. of Menlo Park, Calif. and by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.