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Nature Biotechnology 27, 237–244 (1 March 2009) | doi:10.1038/nbt0309-237

Biotech under Barack

Jeffrey L Fox

Barack Obama came into office with campaign promises of keen interest to the biotech industry, including commitments to overhaul the US healthcare system, to lift restrictions on federal funding for human embryonic stem (hES) cell research and to increase focus and funding for science (Box 1). But the economic crisis that weighs down the US economy, as well as skirmishes with the US Senate over key Cabinet and top-level appointees, has kept the new administration from dealing with much else during its first weeks in office.