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Till & McCulloch establish the foundation for stem cell science.
■Toronto scientists Drs. James Till, a biophysicist, and Ernest McCulloch, a haematologist, published accidental findings in “Radiation Research” that proved the existence of stem cells – cells that can self-renew repeatedly for various uses. Both worked for the Ontario Cancer Institute (OCI) at the time. -
Congress Bans All Federally Funded Fetal Tissue Research
The 93rd Congress implements a ban on nearly all federally funded fetal tissue research until the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research devises guidelines for it. -
Isolation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells
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NIH Guidelines for Research Go Into Effect
NIH Guidelines stated that human embryonic stem cells must be derived with private funds from frozen embryos from fertility clinics; they must have been created for fertility treatment purposes; be in excess of the donor’s clinical need; and obtained with the consent of the donor. -
National Academies Releases “Guidelines for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research”
■The National Academies releases its “Guidelines for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research.” In the news release, committee co-chair Richard O. Hynes explains, “A standard set of requirements for deriving, storing, distributing, and using embryonic stem cell lines – one to which the entire U.S. scientific community adheres- is the best way for this research to move forward.” -
New NAS Guidelines
The National Academies releases the 2007 amendments for its guidelines. -
President Bush Calls for Work on Alternate Sources
■President Bush issues an executive order calling upon the HHS secretary to support and encourage research on alternative sources of pluripotent stem cells. He also requests that the Human Embryonic Stem Cell Registry be renamed the Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Registry. -
President Obama Reverses George W. Bush’s Executive Order
President Obama Issues Executive Order: Removing Barriers to Responsible Scientific Research Involving Human Stem Cells -
Geron Initiates Clinical Trial of Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Based Therapy
Geron Corporation announced the enrollment of the first patient in the company’s clinical trial of human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, GRNOPC1. -
Advanced Cell Technology Wins FDA Approval To Test Stem Cell Therapy For Degenerative Eye Disease
■Regenerative medicine company Advanced Cell Technology received federal approval from the US FDA to begin a multi-centre clinical trial that tests human embryonic stem cell treatment on patients with Stargardt’s Macular Dystrophy, a disease that causes blindness.
