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Philanthropy For Basic Science:
So far, most public discussion of this field has focused on political and ethical questions concerning use of embryonic stem cells in research. But one of the most exciting discoveries of the last decade has concerned adult stem cells – specifically the evidence that they can proliferate in the central nervous systems of vertebrates. Despite such hopeful findings, major challenges remain at every step of the long path that someday may lead to safe and useful treatments for humans. In its first five years, The Ellison Medical Foundation supported research that made significant contributions to meeting those challenges. Articles related to Stem Cells Twenty years ago, in a paper in Science, Helen Blau reported that when various types of cells were fused with muscle cells, they could start expressing muscle genes. That finding challenged a widely held view that a terminally differentiated cell — a muscle cell, a blood cell — could never reach back and activate the untapped genetic potential of its embryonic days. In other words: Once a skin cell always a skin cell. Not necessarily, said Dr. Blau. Related Projects
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