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Can science resolve the ethical impasse in stem cell research?

Nature Biotechnology volume 24, pages 397–400 (2006)Cite this article

A Corrigendum to this article was published on 01 November 2006

Advances in our understanding of the control of early human embryonic development could offer solutions to the moral dilemmas associated with human embryonic stem cell research.

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Figure 1: Transduction of the stemness-associated gene MYC into immature neural cells promotes their reexpression of the pluripotence gene NANOG.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the participants of two conferences, both of which were sponsored by the Center for Ethics in Science & Technology (in conjunction with The Burnham Institute for Medical Research). At the first, entitled 'Is it possible to say when human life begins?', participants represented a variety of national constituencies, including theologians, philosophers, scientists, healthcare professionals, business leaders, lawyers, legislators, policy makers and others. Speakers and panelists included Nicanor Austriaco, Louis Guenin, William Hurlbut, Jeffrey Kahn, Frances Kamm, Paul Lauritzen, William Saunders, Michael Shapiro and Laurie Zoloth. The second, a roundtable workshop entitled 'Human embryonic stem cell research: are there scientific solutions to the moral dilemmas?', included the following participants: Mina Alikani, Maureen Condic, Mary Devereaux, Kevin Eggan, Lawrence Goldstein, William Hurlbut, Frances Kamm, Tadeusz Pacholczyk, Adam Schulman, Alan Trounson, Derek van der Kooy and Howard Zucker. This paper is not intended as a definitive representation of the views of any of the presenters or participants in the two conferences. We also thank Linda Roux for helpful editorial comments. We thank The Burnham Institute, The Legler Benbough Foundation, the Parker Foundation, the Anita B. and Howard S. Richmond Foundation, and Children's Neurobiological Solutions for financial support. E.Y.S. thanks Mark Parker in his group for performing the NANOG RT-PCR.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Stem Cell & Regeneration Program, The Burnham Institute for Medical Research, La Jolla, 92037, California, USA

    Evan Y Snyder

  2. The Values Institute, University of San Diego, 5998 Alcala Park, San Diego, 92110, California, USA

    Lawrence M Hinman

  3. Research Ethics Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, 92093-0612, California, USA

    Michael W Kalichman

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  3. Michael W Kalichman
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Snyder, E., Hinman, L. & Kalichman, M. Can science resolve the ethical impasse in stem cell research?. Nat Biotechnol 24, 397–400 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt0406-397

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