Presented by Alexandria Piccinini

STEM CELL RESEARCH

What are Stem Cells?

Only cell in the human body that has the natural ability to generate new cell types.

It is uncommitted to a specific function until it receives a signal to transform into a specific cell type

Body’s raw materials

Three Variations

There are three main variations of stem cells: embryonic, tissue specific or adult cells, and induced pluripotent

Potential Benefits

Help the medical field better understand how diseases and conditions develop

Effective regenerative medicine

Regenerate and repair damaged tissue

EmCell

Cell Therapy Center in Ukraine 7,000 successful transplants BBC called it “The Last Hope Clinic” Patient Testimonials

http://www.emcell.com/en/testimonials.htm

Controversies

Medical benefits outweigh ethical concerns

Week old blastocysts are not human beings

Majority of embryos are discarded

Morally unacceptable

Destroying a life Created

embryonic cells are unecessary

Human Cloning Cater to the

wealthy

In Favor: Opposed:

Should we expand federal funding?

US Policy versus International Policy Bush- strict

funding NIH funded $607

mil Obama- removed

restrictions

Criminalized in certain European countries

Continuation of Nazi eugenics

Foreign organizations promoting funding

Why is Stem Cell Research Important?

Acclaimed branch of medicine: “Cure the incurable”

Incredibly controversial Will revolutionize

modern day medicine

To stay updated visit http://www.stemcellresearchnews.com/

Bibliography

"Embryonic Stem Cell Research: An Ethical Dilemma | Europe's Stem Cell Hub | EuroStemCell." EuroStemCell. N.p., 23 Mar. 2011. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. <http://www.eurostemcell.org/factsheet/embyronic-stem-cell-research-ethical-dilemma>. Hoffman, William. "Stem Cell Policy: World Stem Cell Map." Stem Cell Policy: World Stem Cell Map. Science and Society, O4 Mar. 2009. Web. 2 May 2013. Ralston, Michelle. "Stem Cell Research Around the World." Pew Research Centers Religion Public Life Project RSS. N.p., 17 July 2008. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. <http://www.pewforum.org/2008/07/17/stem-cell-research-around-the-world/>. "Research! America." Stem Cell Research FAQs. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. <http://www.researchamerica.org/stemcell_faqs>. Stem Cell Basics. In Stem Cell Information [World Wide Web site]. Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2009 [cited Thursday, October 10, 2013] Available at <http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/Pages/Default.aspx>.