Backed by Obama, stem cell research could grow on campus

A week ago, President Barack Obama overturned a policy that George Bush stood by for all eight years of his presidency. By executive order, President Obama has done away with the laws that limited federal funding for stem cell research; and laws that forbade the National Institutes of Health from providing both monetary aid and growing new stem cells in labs for future use. From nearly the beginning of Bush’s presidency in 2001, the National Institutes of Health were limited to 60 cell lines.
In reaction to news of Obama’s promise for less restrictions on government aid for stem cell research, as well as the promise to loosen restrictions concerning the development of stem cells in labs, Harvard University announced one day later the school has approved the creation of an undergraduate major for stem cell research.
Psychology professor and former Arts and Sciences dean Jim Stellar said he wasn’t sure stem cell studies would expand at Northeastern as well.
“When I was in the Dean’s office in the fall, there were no plans to increase stem cell research,” he said.
Stellar said that Northeastern Professor Carol Warner currently performs research on mice embryos that involves stem cells. The research is monitored and photographed with the help of the “Keck” microscope, which Northeastern developed using a $750,000 grant from the Keck Foundation. In Stellar’s words, “What [the Keck microscope] does is combine multiple technologies from various microscopes into one microscope. It measures light, contrast, fluorescence. ... And it takes all these pictures simultaneously to get a better image of [developing embryos].”
“There is hope that tissues grown from [embryonic stem] cells may be used therapeutically to alleviate the effects of many types of disorders and diseases such as spinal cord injuries, diabetes and Parkinson’s disease,” Warner said on her website.
Some students said they would not like to see such research on campus.
“I’m actually against stem cell research,” said Katey Farel, a freshman engineering major. “I actually think that would be a bad idea ... I would say I’m against abortion, so stem cell research is basically killing babies, so that would be my reasoning. ... But if [the research] doesn’t involve embryo parts – definitely, then [I’d approve].”
Brianna Barton, a sophomore nursing major, endorsed the idea of more stem cell studies on campus.
“I think it’s good, especially since it would open up a lot new job opportunities. Especially in this terrible new economic crisis, it’d be really great. I think people would really jump in on that,” Barton said.

1 comments

Andrew

Mon Mar 23 2009 22:26

When the protection of life is lost, people will find any reason to justify their position. Obama had no problem letting a survivor of a botched abortion be murdered and allow passage of a bill in the Illinois senate pass that protected the doctor and hospital.
Stem cell researchhas continued over the last 8 years, The difference is that tax payer dollars were not used.
You might be interested in knowing that there has been lots of progress with adult stem cells. If you wanted to check.

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