Japan to ease restrictions on ES cell research

doi:doi:10.1038/stemcells.2007.34

Nature Reports Stem Cells
Published online: 14 June 2007 | doi:10.1038/stemcells.2007.34

Japan to ease restrictions on ES cell research

Monya Baker¹

The Japanese government has announced plans to ease restrictions on human embryonic stem (hES) cell research, both for scientists working within Japan and for foreign scientists hoping to work with Japanese hES cell lines. Though research on human embryonic stem cells is already legal in the country, heavy regulatory burdens dissuade many laboratories from working with these cells. Common occurrences, such as a new technician joining a laboratory's staff, require researchers to file extensive paperwork for permission to alter approved experimental plans. Revised guidelines scheduled to take effect in October are supposed to make such paperwork less onerous.

The new guidelines will also allow researchers to ship hES cell lines derived in Japan to researchers outside the country, but barriers to international collaboration remain, says Yoshiki Sasai of the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, who has been tapped to head a support lab to train Japanese researchers to work with hES cells. All researchers working with hES cells in Japan must register with the government, and obtaining the necessary training and permissions is a lengthy process. That means foreign researchers cannot visit Japanese labs briefly to learn techniques, says Sasai, who recently developed a way to culture hESC starting with individually isolated cells. To reach foreign scientists, Sasai intends to develop instructional DVDs and other materials.