The University of California has now entered the stem cell funding legal fracas, filing a motion to participate in the pending lawsuit. In a statement, the UC Office of the President said they are the first institution to seek to intervene in the lawsuit:The recent U.S. District Court preliminary injunction blocking federally funded human embryonic … Continue reading The University of California enters stem cell funding battle

Thanks to UC Davis stem cell scientist and CIRM grantee Paul Knoepfler for ferreting out the three judges who will preside over the September 27 D.C. Circuit Court hearing regarding the August 23 injunction on federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research. In his blog entry, Knoepfler writes that of the three judges one … Continue reading The fate of embryonic stem cell research funding is in the hands of…

Joanna Wysocka/Stanford UniversityWhat does all the legal wrangling mean for stem cell scientists? Stanford published a profile of up-and-coming star Joanna Wysocka, who talks about her own NIH-funded research. Wysocka was awarded the Outstanding Young Investigator Award at the annual meeting of the International Society for Stem Cell Research in June and has both a … Continue reading Legal wrangling slows Stanford researcher’s quest for a cure

For now, the NIH is again able to fund research projects using human embryonic stem cells. However, if there’s anything to be learned from the past few weeks, it’s that the funding is uncertain. The only way to ensure continuous support at the federal level would be legislation specifically legalizing research using those cells.Reps Diana … Continue reading Lawmakers look to legalize human embryonic stem cell research

They can’t fund stem cell research...They can...They can’t fund stem cell research...They can..For now. In the “He loves me; He loves me not” game of stem cell research funding, the current petal removed by the U.S. Court of Appeals puts funding for human embryonic stem cell research back within the pervue of the NIH. Today … Continue reading The ups and downs of federal funding for stem cell research

Reprogrammed skin cells showing inactivated X in redCIRM grantees at the University of California, Los Angeles have uncovered a feature of reprogrammed iPS cells that make them uniquely excellent for understanding diseases that arise from mutations on the X chromosome. First some background. Men inherit an X chromosome from their mother, which contains many thousands … Continue reading iPS cells from women create model for muscular dystrophy, X-linked diseases

The US government appealed the August 23 ruling by Judge Royce Lamberth that created a temporary ban on human embryonic stem cell research. According to Nature: The documents filed by the government consist of two actions – an appeal of last week’s decision, which will be heard by the United States Court of Appeals for … Continue reading Government appeals stem cell ruling, claims harm to patients

The NIH has stopped all human embryonic stem cell research being conducted on its campus, in response to the August 23 injunction on all such research.According to Science: The agency has eight research projects that use hESCs, most if not all of which use lines approved under the Bush Administration, say NIH officials. It also … Continue reading NIH halts intramural human embryonic stem cell research

On Monday federal judge Royce C. Lamberth ruled federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research impermissible under current laws. This decision had the immediate effect of shutting down the ability of the NIH to fund research using human embryonic stem cells, a result that NIH Director Francis Collins likened to pouring sand in the … Continue reading What the embryonic stem cell research ban means to California researchers