United States of America - Overview of Individual US States

Alabama

Alabama is considering bills that would prohibit human and human embryonic stem cell research. The Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) at the University of Alabama at Birmingham has a Transgenic Animal/Embryonic Stem Cell Resource Shared Facility who's areas of expertise include transgenic mouse models, embryo cryopreservation and rederivation.

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Arizona

The Arizona based Cord Blood Registry is the world's largest newborn stem cell bank. CBR has been collecting and processing newborn stem cells for family banking since 1995, with profitable operations since 1999. There are over 300,000 units of cord blood cells preserved for client families at CBR's state-of-the-art facility in Tucson, Arizona. The company's research and development is focused on advancing the collection, processing, and storage methods to optimize quality and cell yield. Additionally, CBR facilitates collection of donated research samples, made available for the nearly 200 research programs worldwide that are focused on stem cell expansion and cell-based therapies. CBR has shown a continued increase in sales, with 145% growth in the first quarter of 2005 compared to the same period in 2004. The number of families enrolling in the CBR program in March 2005 showed an increase of 157% over March 2004.

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Arkansas

There is a ban on cloned embryos (therapeutic and reproductive cloning).

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California

San Francisco was chosen in May as the headquarters for California's new stem cell agency. The stem cell institute was formed this past November after voters overwhelmingly approved a bill that allows the state to borrow $3 billion to fund human embryonic stem cell research. The new headquarters will involve a 17,000-square-foot office with a maximum of 50 employees. The staff will help hand out nearly $300 million in research grants annually over 10 years. Though no actual research will be done at the headquarters, supporters said San Francisco will gain a great deal of scientific and marketing prestige that can be used to attract additional biotechnology companies.

California's $3 Billion dedicated to stem cell research has the investors lining up, with venture capitalists lead the race. The bulk of funding was created when voters passed Proposition 71 back in November. Most of this funding is slated for studies on human embryonic stem cells, which show potential for developing treatments for a variety of diseases ranging from diabetes to Parkinson's.

However, since its inception, the much-vaunted program has been mired in litigation and is threatened by a proposed constitutional amendment giving state officials some control over the project. Two current lawsuits against the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) and Proposition 71 have now been followed by a third, all brought by anti-abortion groups. This could be just the beginning as legal experts predict more lawsuits will follow, and could hold up the program for years. The groups behind these lawsuits deny that they are using the courts to delay the funding of stem cell research in California, but this action has scared away potential bond investors, as the bond sale is delayed until the courts decide the cases, and that could take a while. At the moment, the CIRM have a $3 million loan from the state and a $5 million gift to help run the programme. State officials have proposed to sell $200 million in bond anticipation notes, but these would be worthless to investors if the courts invalidate the bonds needed to repay them. Therefore, the state is hoping that charities will buy these bond anticipation notes, because they could write off any loss as a donation. However, one of the current lawsuits is trying to block this donation method.

The proposed constitutional amendment has been delayed by State Democratic Party leaders in a response to CIRM and ICOC working more closely with the State Legislation on proposed enhancements that would strengthen conflict of interest standards and give more effective oversight to the programme.

For students intending to work in the field of stem cell research, City College of San Francisco is now offering some advantages as compared to other college level programs. Courtesy of a California state-funded training program, new classes will be added specifically targeting stem cell research. These new classes will teach students how to work with basic stem cell cultures, which is an area that has a limited number of trained technicians. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger approved the $780,000 grant as part of his discretionary funds. This will allow students to take three six-week courses before receiving a technical certificate for stem cell work. Instructor Philip Jardim, director of City College's biotech certification program, said that he hopes to be certifying students by May 2006.

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Connecticut

On May 31st 2005, the Connecticut House of Representatives gave overwhelming final approval to legislation committing $100 million to stem cell research in Connecticut, following the Connecticut Senate approval a week earlier. Gov. M. Jodi Rell pledged has signed the bill and made Connecticut the third state to actually finance embryonic research. The House approved the bill 113-37. The Democratic majority heavily favoured the measure, voting 86-12 while Republicans were divided, 27-25. Before passing the bill, the House narrowly defeated, by 76-74, an amendment that would have established a penalty of five years in prison or a $50,000 fine for anyone who violated the guidelines. .When signed into law by CT Governor M. Jodi Rell on June 15th, 2005, a $20 million research fund was established for the next 2 years. Lawmakers hope that the additional $80 million, if appropriated, would be supplemented by private donation and make the state more competitive, especially with CA and NJ.

Similar to legislation in MA and NJ, the CT legislation creates important safeguards, including a ban on human cloning and on the sale of human eggs, sperm and embryos. It would establish a two-stage process in which panels including experts in both the science and the ethics of stem cell research would review requests for state funding.

Centres of expertise focus on Yale University and its medical school and to a lesser extent on the UConn Medical School.

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Delaware

Delaware Rep. Mike Castle, one of the leading proponents of stem cell research in Congress, said Delaware must act to protect its young biotechnology initiatives, most of which are focused at the University of Delaware through the Delaware Biotechnology Institute. In the coming months, he plans to re-introduce legislation that would allow federal funding of research into promising new lines of stem cells. Castle says it will help level the playing field for scientists in states that cannot afford multibillion-dollar stem cell research programs of their own.

Delaware is considering to take New Jersey up on its invitation to join in a stem cell research biotechnology corridor, along with Pennsylvania.

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Florida

Legislation that would have created a stem cell research programme and provided certain ethical standards as well and appropriation of $10 million died during committee hearings as did legislation that would have provided a redistribution of taxes on alcoholic beverages to university based biomedical research.

Several non governmental groups are active to promote stem cell research and are lobbying for legislation that would allow stem cell research in Florida. 'Cures for Florida' is seeking to put on the ballot a measure that would provide $1 billion to $2 billion for embryonic stem cell research in the state. In addition, Florida Senate President Jim King proposed a centre for human embryonic stem cell research.

Activists from the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research (CAMR), Genetics Policy Institute, Movers and Shakers, Parkinson's Action Network (PAN), StemCellAction.org, Student Society for Stem Cell Research, and Take Charge/Cure Parkinson's held their first meeting on March 21. 2005, to begin the formation of FAMR - Floridians for the Advancement of Medical Research. This coalition invites other individuals and groups to join in the effort to promote awareness and education, as well as achieve legislation, which would expand and regulate stem cell research and other DNA therapies in the state of Florida.

The Genetics Policy Institute (GPI) www.genpol.org, a Florida based nonprofit organization dedicates itself to preventing human reproductive cloning and advocating the responsible use of therapeutic cloning research.

Several different departments at the University of Florida are researching stem cells, these include the Department for Molecular Cell Biology, The Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine. Work as focussed on diabetes in mice, the creation brain cells in a lab environment from adult blood stem cells. There is also some research underway in nuclear cloning, stem cells and epigenetic reprogramming.

A University of Florida professor (Dennis Steindler) was chosen to help oversee research spending at the newly established California Institute of Regenerative Medicine.

The Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Miami School of Medicine is also looking at stem cells. Work revolves around hematopoietic stem cell therapy to cure both genetic and acquired diseases and gene therapy using hematopoietic stem cell as the target for gene transfection and for life-long expression of normal genes.

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Georgia

The Medical College of Georgia has a Transgenic & ES Cell Core Laboratories that provides a centralized service of transgenic mouse production. It offers services such as DNA injection into fertilized oocytes, ES cell injection into blastocysts, strain rederivation, and embryo and sperm cryopreservation. The Department of Neurology has a Stem Cell/Restorative research program. The main purpose of the program is to use adult stem cells to treat brain injuries resulting from stroke and decreased blood flow and oxygen.

Research at the University of Georgia takes place at the Biomedical & Health Sciences Institute, much of it specifically at the Regenerative Bioscience Center at the Steven Stice Lab, the latter concentrating on animal cloning and genetic engineering and the use of human stem cells in glycomic research, drug screening and stem cell training.

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Illinois

Comptroller Dan Hynes' legislative initiative for state-supported stem cell research includes hallmarks of good public policy - a distinct rarity for traditionally policy-challenged Illinois. The institute would fund research on stem cells at Illinois universities and research facilities, based on recommendations from its board of medical and science experts. To receive funding, researchers would have to demonstrate a relevant record of achievement, contribute at least 20 percent in matching funds and sign an agreement giving Illinois a share in any revenue generated from commercialization of technology developed. Grantees would be prohibited from researching human cloning and would be required to produce annual progress reports and be audited by the Auditor General. The institute would be funded by a $1 billion bond issue to be repaid from revenue generated by a new, 6 percent tax on elective cosmetic surgery procedures.

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Maryland

The House of Delegates approved the legislation that would provide roughly $25 million a year in funding for research which is performed in Maryland on embryonic stem cells. The bill provides state money for embryonic stem cell research into numerous debilitating conditions, including diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

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Massachusetts

Massachusetts lawmakers have easily overridden the state governor's veto of a bill aimed at encouraging embryonic stem cell research. The new law bans cloning for reproductive purposes, but allows therapeutic cloning of human embryos to extract stem cells. It was this provision that led to Governor Mitt Romney's veto.

Massachusetts follows California and New Jersey as the only states to explicitly endorse embryonic stem cell research and somatic cell nuclear transfer. While California's and New Jersey's and Connecticut's bills provide funds for embryonic stem-cell research, the Massachusetts bill does not provide any financial support., Massachusetts is relying on its strong research base to attract private and industry funding now that the legal ambiguity surrounding stem cell research has been removed. However Senate President Robert Travaglini (D-Boston) and local biotech industry leaders are discussing a spending package of up to $100 million for embryonic stem cell research facilities and education initiatives, reports the Boston Globe. According to Travaglini, the state needs to put forth at least $100 million annually to keep up with California and other states. Some ideas for the fund include putting the money toward research grants, establishing state-owned stem cell laboratories, and investing in scholarship programs and endowed chairs. So far however while hoping to take up a proposal for stem cell research funding within the next months, lawmakers have decided to not follow through with Travaglini's proposal. Both parties in the state legislature said they wanted to seize up how private investors respond to the new stem cell law.

Massachusetts is next to California one of the most active regions in human embryonic stem cell research, most of it privately or industry funded. Research focuses on all aspects of stem cell research and centres around Harvard's Stem Cell Institute, the various medical schools and the 6 large research universities in the Boston area. The Harvard Stem Cell Institute now has 28 embryonic stem cell lines, created through private funding. These lines are available to anybody who wants them, for free. So far the Institute has shipped about 300, most to labs outside the US, since the lines are not eligible for US federal funding.

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Mississippi

Legislation making any form of human cloning, including the use of cloning products illegal died during committee hearings.

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Missouri

A Senate committee has endorsed a bill banning a certain type of stem cell research in Missouri. The bill would ban therapeutic cloning. Those who oppose the procedure say it creates human embryos for the purpose of destroying them. The bill has the support of a majority of senators, republican leaders in both the Senate and House have for the most part not signed on. While it is certain that the bill will be debated by the full Senate, it is uncertain whether it will reach a vote on the floor.

Meanwhile hundreds of prominent medical experts, patient advocates, clergy and civic and business leaders have joined a coalition that is coordinating opposition to the proposed state legislation. The Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures is actively working to defeat pending bills that would ban and criminalize somatic cell nuclear transfer research and cures in Missouri.

A small lab in St. Louis, Missouri is working towards the goal to use stem cells from newborns' umbilical cord blood to treat some of the nation's most deadly diseases. The St. Louis Cord Blood Bank has put together what is being reported as the second largest inventory in the world of cord blood listed on a public registry.

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Nebraska

A bill banning human cloning may not be debated this session according to Sen. Adrian Smith of Gering, Nebraska. The proposal, which is currently up for consideration before the Judiciary Committee, is one of the last to be scheduled for a hearing this session. The cloning ban bill, has not been set as a legislative priority by any senator yet, and without that, its chances of being debated soon are slim.

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New Hampshire

Federal Representatives from New Hampshire yesterday have supported the bill that would expand federal funds for embryonic stem cell research. However NH Senators colleagues have opposed such legislation in the past.

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New Jersey

Legislative underpinnings for stem cell research were established in January when the NJ stem cell bill was signed into law. However, budget shortfalls are delaying the stem cell research initiative. The $380 million proposal includes a $230 million ballot initiative for stem cell research and grants and $150 million in capital funds to build the Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey.

Harold Shapiro, a former president of Princeton, will preside over an ethics panel that will monitor state-funded stem cell research activities. To ensure science and not politics governs the award of grants, an independent panel of scientific experts will be convened to score applications.

During a recent symposium on state-sponsored stem cell research at Princeton University, Acting Gov. Codey announced that he expects to break ground on the Institute in August and once again expressed support for the ballot initiative, although a proposal has yet to be created. To establish the institute, $50 million over five years will be needed for personnel, equipment, construction and lab supplies. The initial $6.5 million from the state will help with recruitment and laboratory needs. The institute will be housed on Rutgers' Busch campus and at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) in Piscataway until a new facility is built in New Brunswick. Funding will include state and federal monies, and support from private individuals and foundations, external grants and contracts, industry and other sources. UMDNJ and Rutgers are also planning a major fundraising campaign for the institute, directed at foundations and industry, as well as private donors.

New Jersey voters are in favour of the statewide bond initiative to raise $250 million for stem cell research by a wide margin (61 to 32%). Over four out of five (83%) state residents said that they think voters should decide the question of state funding for stem cell research, compared to only about one in 10 (11%) preferring to have state lawmakers handle the question.

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New York

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) unveiled legislation to create the New York Institute for Stem Cell Research last month. Under the bill the institute will make grants for stem cell research, regenerative medicine and related facilities. Funding of $100 million for the first year and $200 million for the second year would be granted under the Health Care Reform Act. According to Silver's press office, the Institute would be governed by a board of members appointed by the governor, president of the Senate, speaker of the Assembly, attorney general, and the comptroller.

The bill, which prohibits cloning for reproductive reasons, was referred to the Health committee on March 9. 2005. Sen. Nick Spano (R-Westchester) announced on the same day that he would introduce similar legislation in the Senate, providing $100 million annually for research. Even though he is opposed to somatic cell nuclear transfer, Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno (R-NY 43rd) supports stem cell research. However Bruno also expressed concerns that the state's budget may not be able to support the measure.

While there is little political opposition, it is indeed possible that monetary constraints may curb New York's stem cell proposals. NYAMR (New Yorkers for the Advancement of Medical Research) a coalition of New York State-based disease advocacy groups, university research centres and biotech industry leaders has been pressuring the Governor and NY assembly to include $100 million per year for 10 years for human embryonic stem cell research to the NY state budget - so far this has not occurred.

The Tri-Institutional Stem Cell Initiative, which includes Rockefeller University, Cornell Medical School and the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, has received $50 million over three years from the Starr Foundation. The initiative focuses on interdisciplinary stem cell research that cannot be funded from federal government agencies and provides shared facilities and graduate and post doctoral training.

Columbia University's Stem Cell Initiative has gathered over forty researchers who conduct leading stem cell studies. Research projects with stem cells include the potential of both embryonic and adult stem cells for the treatment of many diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), type 1 diabetes, and Parkinson's, type 1 diabetes, cancer therapies using cord blood stem cells and novel therapies for diseases of the heart, eye, blood, skin, and immune system.

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North Carolina

The Stem Cell Research Health And Wellness Act would permit stem cell research under limited circumstances and the appropriation of funds to the Health And Wellness Trust Fund for allocation as stem cell research grants. Other legislation would authorise the legislative research commission to study the state's role in stem cell research, to examine laws limiting or expanding current research efforts and to investigate the possibility of providing state funds to scientists conducting stem cell research.

At Duke University, the Stem Cell Research Program (SCRP) is a new program in the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center. It includes 30 laboratories from 12 different Departments and encompasses basic, translational, and clinical research on stem cells. Within the Cancer Center the SCRP complements the existing four basic research programs and dovetails with most of the existing seven translational/clinical programs, especially Bone Marrow Transplantation, Breast and Ovarian Cancer, and Radiation Oncology. Currently, the research interest of the members fall into several general categories: Bone Marrow and hematopoietic stem cells; Mesenchymal stem cells, including cardiac stem cells and heart regeneration; Neural stem cells; Liver and Gastrointestinal Stem Cells; Skin Stem Cells: melanocyte stem cells in melanoma; Embryonic stem cells, germ cells and germ - somatic cell interactions; Stem Cells and Genomics; Stem Cells in relation to Tissue Engineering and Stem Cells and Cancer.

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Oregon

The new Oregon Stem Cell Centre at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) is funded by a three year $4.5 million grant from Oregon Opportunity, a state-wide $500 million biomedical research funding initiative supported by public and private funds. The Centre hopes to compete for NIH funding as part of the "Roadmap" initiative to accelerate fundamental discovery and translation of that knowledge into preventative strategies and new treatments. The Centre will focus on adult stem cells. There is currently no legislation pending in Oregon on human embryonic stem cell research.

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Pennsylvania

State House Democratic Whip Mike Veon and state Reps. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, and Babette Josephs, D-Phila., have called for a state level commitment to stem cell research in Pennsylvania - removing any prohibitions against using public money, and creating a dedicated half-billion dollar fund and the formation of a council to oversee that fund.

The proposal would create a $500 million bond initiative, disbursed at $100 million per year, to be paid back over 30 years to fund research. It would levy a 2 percent tax on medical devices & diagnostic equipment, primarily consisting of everything from single-use products to capital equipment to diagnostics machines, to pay the bond debt and examine the possibility of using tobacco settlement money to bolster the fund.

The legislation would also form the Pennsylvania Stem Cell Research Council, a 15-member panel made up of people from groups representing those with injuries and diseases that could be cured by stem cell research, as well as representatives from medical schools, ethics groups and legislators. PA lawmakers are furthermore proposing that Pennsylvania join with New Jersey and Delaware to create an interstate research corridor and establish a joint stem cell research centre. The research council would be able to match designated funding with other states in the compact and would be authorised to put up an additional 5 percent over New Jersey's funding as a discretionary supplement if it results in new research facilities and job creation in Pennsylvania.

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South Carolina

Current legislation before committees include the Human Cloning Prohibition Act which provides that is illegal to perform or attempt human cloning. The Biotechnology Act of 2006 would, if approved, authorise stem cell research and lay out the approval and regulatory process for such research. It would furthermore prohibit financial gains from selling or purchasing embryos.

Clemson, the Medical University of South Carolina and the University of South Carolina have a biomedical engineering partnership aimed at making South Carolina a leader in regenerative medicine and bioengineering technology. The collaborating universities secured a commitment of $6 million from 2004 state education lottery proceeds, which will be matched by an additional $6 million raised privately by the universities. The goal is to establish the S.C. Center for Regenerative Medicine.

Besides the Regenerative Medicine research above Clemson, has received $ 250k from the Michael J. Fox Foundation to study stem cell based remedies for diabetes, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

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South Dakota

Under a bill proposed by Rep. Elizabeth Kraus, R-Rapid City, new mothers in South Dakota would be able to donate the blood from their babies' umbilical cords and placentas. The state has currently no system under which to donate cord blood, and is currently discarded as medical waste.

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Tennessee

Current pending legislation included the Human Cloning Prohibition Act and the DNA and Genetic Testing act which would give each citizen of Tennessee intellectual property interest in his DNA, so that it could not be used for stem cell research or cloning without expressive permission of that individual.

Research focuses on the Vanderbilt University Center for Stem Cell Biology which works on transgenic mouse models, cryopreservation, gene targeting and assisted reproduction technology.

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Texas

During the latest Texas regular Legislative session (Spring 05) there were 15 bills put that concerned Stem Cell Research, Human Reproductive Cloning, and/or Regenerative Medicine. None of these 15 bills made it out of committee for vote (and therefore were not passed).

During the (current) second Special Legislative Session (July 05), a Tuition Revenue Bond bill has earmarked funds for various state educational institutions, including:

• $40 million for educational facilities at the Texas A&M University Health Science Centre's College of Medicine;
• $41.1 million for biomedical research facilities at the University of Texas Health Science Centre at Houston; and
• $60 million for the South Texas Research Tower at the University of Texas Health Science Centre at San Antonio

Embryonic Stem Cell research could potentially occur in these facilities (currently all Texas research is on adult stem cells). Because of this potential, there is a move afoot to restrict any stem cell research conducted at said institutions funded by this revenue bill to adult stem cell research only. Many stem cell research advocacy groups of course want the bill passed without any restrictions on the research, and have actively been lobbying to this effect.

This bond bill did in fact pass the House with no restrictions on the type of stem cell research to be conducted with state tuition bond money. The bill now moved to the Senate, where it has sat in Finance Committee since late July

A separate Senate bill (SB28) has been introduced that seeks to ban human reproductive cloning, but "does not restrict or prohibit . . . scientific research, including nuclear transplantation, to develop regenerative or reparative medical therapies or treatments . . ." This bill has yet to make it to committee.

Texas law currently does not prohibit embryonic stem cell research or therapy, nor does it ban publicly funded institutions from engaging in it. The only restrictions in place on embryonic stem cell research and therapy in Texas are those President Bush imposed on federal - not state - funding in August 2001.

Main strengths in Texas are in Cancer Stem Cell research (mainly Baylor College of Medicine and MD Anderson Cancer Centre, detailed below) and stem cell therapy for cardiovascular therapy (Texas Heart Institute). There is no human embryonic stem cell research being carried out in Texas, due to the Federal funding ban and difficulty in establishing separate institutes to carry out this research.

There is a $5M fund (donated by a wealthy Houston Investor) to the University of Texas Health Science Centre in Houston (UTHSC) and the Texas Heart Institute to carry out stem cell research. The donation was to be used at the discretion of the University (i.e. no restriction on adult/embryonic), which has a strong research programme in adult stem cell research in cardiovascular medicine . Clinical trial of adult stem cells to treat patients with severe heart failure are ongoing. The doctors initiated a study four years ago with the Pro-Cardiaco Hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The research begun in Brazil has allowed the Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's to have the first FDA-approved clinical trial of adult stem cells - taken from the patient's own bone marrow - for the treatment of severe heart failure. Research is led by the University president, Dr. James Willerson, a renowned Cardiovascular physician.

A new Stem Cell institute has been formed to work on adult stem cells, starting with Cardiovascular medicine. UTHSC has requested an additional $41.1M from the Texas State legislature (in state bonds), which is likely to go through (see section above on legislature).

Baylor College of Medicine has a world Class Gene Therapy Centre led by a British Scientist, Dr. Malcolm Brenner . The centre is a GMP facility and works on contract with industrial partners. Baylor anounced the formation of a stem cell institute which plans to include embryonic , as well as adult stem cells.

MD Anderson Cancer Centre has a GMP processing facility for stem cells and is a world leader in this field and Cancer research in general.

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Utah

U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch is lobbying the Utah State House arguing, that Utah can't afford to fall behind other states in embryonic stem cell research. No legislative measures are pending at this time. The University of Utah (and the Huntsman Cancer Institute) does currently have some of the more active academic groups in stem cell research. Furthermore Utah State University and Brigham Young University, which is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also are doing work in the area.

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Virginia

The Virgina State House and Senate have passed a bill that would create a new stem-cell research fund in memory of actor Christopher Reeve. The measure, which does not apply to embryonic stem-cell research, passed in the House 76-22 vote with no debate. The Senate has approved the legislation, and it will now go to Gov. Mark Warner, a Democrat, for consideration. Under the measure, the "Christopher Reeve Stem Cell Research Fund" would be created and would pay for Virginia college research on ailments such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease.

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Washington

The University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre are home to one of three federally funded exploratory centres for human embryonic stem cell research with a $3.2 million grant. The Centre will acquire, characterise and distribute NIH-approved human embryonic stem cell lines. Embryonic stem cell research is currently permitted in Washington State.

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Wisconsin

The State Senate unanimously approved Senator Joe Leibham's and Representative Steve Wieckert's umbilical cord blood banking bill that would require physicians and other health care professionals to discuss umbilical cord blood banking with expectant mothers. The proposal will now be considered by the State Assembly.

Wisconsin has a long history in stem cell research ever since James Thomson led a team in 1998 that first isolated and grew human embryonic stem cells. About 30 groups at the University of Wisconsin carry out diverse studies using stem cells.

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copyright: © | last updated 25 November 2005