stem cells----------------------------art

embryonic stem cell colonies from the lab of developmental biologist James Thompson
Source: University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Used with permission © University of Wisconsin Board of Regents

California Capitol Building, Sacramento, California

Robert Lanza, Vice President of Medical & Scientific Development at Advanced Cell Technology (ACT)

Robert Lanza, M.D., is the Vice President of Medical & Scientific Development at Advanced Cell Technology, a Massachusetts-based bio-tech firm working to create therapies for various diseases using embryonic stem cells.
Early today ACT announced the first successful "isolation and characterization of putative RPE (retinal pigment epithelium)," which might making possible the "production of zoonoses-free RPE cells suitable for subretinal transplantation in patients with retinal degenerative diseases." In layperson terms, "eyesight for the blind."

Opponents of Proposition 71, and of embryonic stem cell research generally, constantly argue that while blood cord stem cells and adult stem cells have shown therapeutic promise, embryonic stem cells have not. If the results reported today by Dr. Lanza and his colleagues stand up to scrutiny, that will be one fewer argument that can be made against embryonic stem cells as a subject for scientific inquiry and bio-medical research.

Robert Lanza spoke this afternoon exclusively with California Politics Today and Stem Cell World about this possible major breakthrough.

Dr. Lanza's interview has been edited into two segments. The first deals mostly with the scientific aspects of the work and the second mostly with the case for or against Proposition 71.

To hear the scientific segment, click here.

To hear the political segment, click here.

To hear the interview in its entirety, click here.

To access the published version of this study, click here

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