While CIRM was advancing its $262 million lab grant program this week in Burlingame, about 490 miles to the south in La Jolla, a tiny firm called Stemagen was making international headlines with its news about cloning human embryos.
Terri Somers of the San Diego Union-Tribune had one of the first stories on the matter. The paper also had a piece by Sandi Dolbee on the ethics of the issue. The blog of the American Journal of Bioethics has a roundup of links to coverage elsewhere.
The Center for Genetics and Society in Oakland also raised questions about the propriety of the research, which involved the cells (see Stemagen photo on right) of Stemagen's president, Samuel Wood (see Stemagen photo on left) and an anonymous investor in the firm.
Whatever your take on this, along with all the other news on stem cell research in the last few months, it will generate substantially more attention on the field from investors, scientists, supporters and foes.
Very interesting post.
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