Stem Cell Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

While I was playing the Superman in the movies, Jamie was the real Superman - for he was on his way to giving real hope to millions of Americans.
- Christopher Reeve at the 2003 National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

James Thomson's, V.M.D., Ph.D., pioneering study of human embryonic stem cells has attracted national attention. In November of 1998, his UW-Madison research team was the first to isolate and grow human embryonic stem cells - self-renewing cells that can become any cell type in the body.

Proposals have been made in the Wisconsin state legislature to criminalize components of stem cell research. If enacted, these proposals will restrict or completely ban stem cell research at UW-Madison and other state universities. Consider the impact of this extremely challenging but promising research on human medicine:

Facts1

  • Stem cell research will provide an understanding of the events that occur in the first stages of development, leading to the prevention and treatment of birth defects, infertility and miscarriage.
  • Stem cell research yields crucial medical findings for treating a host of incapacitating and terminal diseases by providing a potentially infinite supply of bone, muscle, liver and blood cells. For example, faulty cells found in patients with Parkinson's disease and juvenile onset diabetes can be replaced with healthy ones.
  • This innovative research provides the ability to grow specific cell types - making it possible to effectively test chemicals that are otherwise analyzed and validated in lengthy processes.

Public Opinion in Wisconsin

According to a statewide survey of 500 likely voters conducted by Public Opinion Strategies and Cures for Tomorrow, there is widespread approval (69%) for stem cell research in Wisconsin. The promise of effective treatments to debilitating diseases taps into voters' awareness and approval for embryonic stem cell research. Two-thirds of voters (63%) say they support expanding President Bush's policy that currently limits this research to 22 existing lines of embryonic stem cells.2

Further Reading

1."American's Best Science & Medicine." Time. August 2001.
2."Stem Cell Research Working Group." Public Opinion Strategies: Alexandria, VA. May 2005.

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Listen to the above Stem Cell 101 lecture given by Associate Professor Gabriel Cezar on October 30, 2006. Click on the image to learn more about stem cell research!