Cambridge Univ opens major stem cell research centre

The UK hopes to capitalize on its liberal laws and stable policies for embryonic stem cell research with the creation of the Stem Cell Institute at Cambridge Univ. The US$30-million centre will be headed by Dr Roger Pedersen, who left the Univ of California at San Francisco in 2001 following US president George Bush’s banning of research on human embryos at federally funded laboratories. More than half of the research conducted by the Institute will involve embryonic stem cells and officials anticipate attracting top level researchers from the US and elsewhere. Funding for the Institute was provided by the federal government, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and other charities. Human clinical trials are expected within five years....