Scientists hail cell finding

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

By RICK WEISS

The Washington Post

HudsonAlpha's president says 'it's a major step'

WASHINGTON - Researchers in Wisconsin and Japan have turned ordinary human skin cells into what are effectively embryonic stem cells without using embryos or women's eggs - the two hitherto essential ingredients that have embroiled the medically promising field in a long political and ethical debate.

The unencumbered ability to turn adult cells into embryonic ones capable of morphing into virtually every kind of cell or tissue, described in two scientific journal articles released Tuesday, has been the ultimate goal of researchers for years. In theory, it would allow people to grow personalized replacement parts for their bodies from a few of their own skin cells, while giving researchers a uniquely powerful means of understanding and treating diseases.

Until now, only human egg cells and embryos, both difficult to obtain and laden with legal and ethical issues, had the mysterious power to turn ordinary cells into stem cells. And until this summer, the challenge of mimicking that process in the lab seemed almost insurmountable, leading many to wonder if stem cell research would ever wrest free of its political baggage.

As news of the success by two different research teams spread by e-mail, scientists seemed almost giddy at the likelihood that their field, which for its entire life has been at the center of so much debate, may suddenly become like other areas of biomedical science: appreciated, eligible for federal funding and wide open for new waves of discovery.

'It is truly exciting'

Jim Hudson, president of the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology in Huntsville, said the breakthrough was something biotech researchers had been hoping for over the last few years.

"This is a major step," Hudson said. "To be able to take an adult cell, in this case a skin cell, and make a stem cell from it is truly exciting," Hudson said.

Hudson said embryonic stem cells don't have much value in HudsonAlpha's push to personalize medical care based on a person's DNA. But given today's announcement, a stem cell derived from an individual's DNA is now possible and has major implications for local researchers.

"Down the line, the institute and the companies involved here will be working with adult stem cells," Hudson said. "The potential is just too great, the applications are many-fold."

Hudson said the research should defuse the controversy and open up funding around stem cell research since embryos won't be necessary.

"This would certainly allow me to write a National Institutes of Health grant to do stem cell, and get funded it," Hudson said. "Using embryonic, you might as well forget it."

"These are enormously important papers," said George Daley, a stem cell researcher at Children's Hospital Boston, who was not involved in the work. Like others, he spoke with stunned elation reminiscent of scientists' reactions in 1997 to the cloning of Dolly the sheep from a skin cell, the first proof that adult mammal cells could have their genetic clocks turned back.

Useful for research

Their enthusiasm notwithstanding, scientists warned that medical treatments are not immediately at hand. The new method uses genetically engineered viruses to transform adult cells into embryo-like ones, and those viruses can trigger tumors. But the cells will be instantly useful for research purposes - "to move a patient's disease into a petri dish," as Daley put it. And some scientists predicted that, with the basic secret now in hand, it could be a mere matter of months before virus-free methods for making the versatile cells are found.

"This is a tremendous scientific milestone, the biological equivalent to the Wright Brothers' first airplane," said Robert Lanza, chief scientific officer of Advanced Cell Technology in Worcester, Mass., a developer of stem cell therapies.

Especially gratifying to stem cell researchers was that some of their biggest critics seemed mollified.

Richard Doerflinger of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said he was at a Vatican-sponsored meeting recently where the technique was described. "All the Catholic scientists and ethicists at the conference ... had no moral problem with it at all," he said. "This seems to be a way to get all the same uses that embryonic stem cells and cloning might be put to, without the moral problem."

The White House released a statement praising the studies.

"President Bush is very pleased to see the important advances in ethical stem cell research reported in scientific journals today. By avoiding techniques that destroy life, while vigorously supporting alternative approaches, President Bush is encouraging scientific advancement within ethical boundaries ... ," the statement said. "The President believes medical problems can be solved without compromising either the high aims of science or the sanctity of human life."

Another crucial vote of confidence came from James Battey, vice-chairman of the National Institutes of Health's stem cell task force, which oversees decisions about funding stem cell research.

"I see no reason on Earth why this would not be eligible for federal funding," Battey said. "I think it's a wonderful new development."

Scientists are relieved

Many teams had been racing to be first to create embryonic stem cells or their equivalents without embryos, building on a June report in which researchers found a way to do so in mice. Yet scientists around the world agreed that nobody deserved to win that race more than the two who did: James Thomson of the University of Wisconsin in Madison, who first isolated stem cells from 5-day-old human embryos in 1998, and Shinya Yamanaka of Tokyo University, who led the recent effort to obtain mouse stem cells without embryos.

Thomson, a shy and laconic laboratory researcher whose discovery of embryonic stem cells made him the focus of religious opprobrium and repeated congressional hearings, expressed relief that he might now be able to work without being at the center of what had become America's other abortion debate.

"What a great bookend," Thomson said in an interview. "Ten years of turmoil and now this nice ending. I can relax now."

Yamanaka also expressed relief - and surprise upon learning that others were so close on his heels.

"Many people in other labs were kind enough to tell me they were working on it," he said. "But I did not know they had actually generated them."

Times staff writer Brian Lawson contributed to this report.



Scientists hail cell finding Wednesday, November 21, 2007 By RICK WEISS The Washington Post HudsonAlpha's president says 'it's a major step' WASHINGTON - Researchers in Wisconsin and Japan have turned ordinary human skin cells into what are effectively embryonic stem cells without using embryos or women's eggs - the two hitherto essential ingredients that have embroiled the medically promising field in a long political and ethical debate. The unencumbered ability to turn adult cells into embryonic ones capable of morphing into virtually every kind of cell or tissue, described in two scientific journal articles released Tuesday, has been the ultimate goal of researchers for years. In theory, it would allow people to grow personalized replacement parts for their bodies from a few of their own skin cells, while giving researchers a uniquely powerful means of understanding and treating diseases. Until now, only human egg cells and embryos, both difficult to obtain and laden with legal and ethical issues, had the mysterious power to turn ordinary cells into stem cells. And until this summer, the challenge of mimicking that process in the lab seemed almost insurmountable, leading many to wonder if stem cell research would ever wrest free of its political baggage. As news of the success by two different research teams spread by e-mail, scientists seemed almost giddy at the likelihood that their field, which for its entire life has been at the center of so much debate, may suddenly become like other areas of biomedical science: appreciated, eligible for federal funding and wide open for new waves of discovery. 'It is truly exciting' Jim Hudson, president of the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology in Huntsville, said the breakthrough was something biotech researchers had been hoping for over the last few years. "This is a major step," Hudson said. "To be able to take an adult cell, in this case a skin cell, and make a stem cell from it is truly exciting," Hudson said. Hudson said embryonic stem cells don't have much value in HudsonAlpha's push to personalize medical care based on a person's DNA. But given today's announcement, a stem cell derived from an individual's DNA is now possible and has major implications for local researchers. "Down the line, the institute and the companies involved here will be working with adult stem cells," Hudson said. "The potential is just too great, the applications are many-fold." Hudson said the research should defuse the controversy and open up funding around stem cell research since embryos won't be necessary. "This would certainly allow me to write a National Institutes of Health grant to do stem cell, and get funded it," Hudson said. "Using embryonic, you might as well forget it." "These are enormously important papers," said George Daley, a stem cell researcher at Children's Hospital Boston, who was not involved in the work. Like others, he spoke with stunned elation reminiscent of scientists' reactions in 1997 to the cloning of Dolly the sheep from a skin cell, the first proof that adult mammal cells could have their genetic clocks turned back. Useful for research Their enthusiasm notwithstanding, scientists warned that medical treatments are not immediately at hand. The new method uses genetically engineered viruses to transform adult cells into embryo-like ones, and those viruses can trigger tumors. But the cells will be instantly useful for research purposes - "to move a patient's disease into a petri dish," as Daley put it. And some scientists predicted that, with the basic secret now in hand, it could be a mere matter of months before virus-free methods for making the versatile cells are found. "This is a tremendous scientific milestone, the biological equivalent to the Wright Brothers' first airplane," said Robert Lanza, chief scientific officer of Advanced Cell Technology in Worcester, Mass., a developer of stem cell therapies. Especially gratifying to stem cell researchers was that some of their biggest critics seemed mollified. Richard Doerflinger of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said he was at a Vatican-sponsored meeting recently where the technique was described. "All the Catholic scientists and ethicists at the conference ... had no moral problem with it at all," he said. "This seems to be a way to get all the same uses that embryonic stem cells and cloning might be put to, without the moral problem." The White House released a statement praising the studies. "President Bush is very pleased to see the important advances in ethical stem cell research reported in scientific journals today. By avoiding techniques that destroy life, while vigorously supporting alternative approaches, President Bush is encouraging scientific advancement within ethical boundaries ... ," the statement said. "The President believes medical problems can be solved without compromising either the high aims of science or the sanctity of human life." Another crucial vote of confidence came from James Battey, vice-chairman of the National Institutes of Health's stem cell task force, which oversees decisions about funding stem cell research. "I see no reason on Earth why this would not be eligible for federal funding," Battey said. "I think it's a wonderful new development." Scientists are relieved Many teams had been racing to be first to create embryonic stem cells or their equivalents without embryos, building on a June report in which researchers found a way to do so in mice. Yet scientists around the world agreed that nobody deserved to win that race more than the two who did: James Thomson of the University of Wisconsin in Madison, who first isolated stem cells from 5-day-old human embryos in 1998, and Shinya Yamanaka of Tokyo University, who led the recent effort to obtain mouse stem cells without embryos. Thomson, a shy and laconic laboratory researcher whose discovery of embryonic stem cells made him the focus of religious opprobrium and repeated congressional hearings, expressed relief that he might now be able to work without being at the center of what had become America's other abortion debate. "What a great bookend," Thomson said in an interview. "Ten years of turmoil and now this nice ending. I can relax now." Yamanaka also expressed relief - and surprise upon learning that others were so close on his heels. "Many people in other labs were kind enough to tell me they were working on it," he said. "But I did not know they had actually generated them." Times staff writer Brian Lawson contributed to this report. © 2007 The Huntsville Times © 2007 al.com All Rights Reserved.