A year after Harvard University scientists began trying to create cloned human embryonic stem cells, they have been stymied by their failure to persuade a single woman to donate her eggs for the groundbreaking but controversial research.
The goal of the work is to create embryonic stem cells — all-purpose formative cells that can develop into virtually any cell in the body — that are genetically matched to a patient with a particular disease, such as diabetes. Studying such cells could give scientists new insights into the diseases and possibly lead to treatments.
“It’s an important experiment and we can’t do it,” Kevin Eggan, an assistant professor of molecular and cellular biology at Harvard.
Without unfertilized eggs, scientists cannot create cloned embryonic stem cells through the conventional method. Called somatic-cell nuclear transfer, the procedure involves replacing the DNA in a donated egg with DNA extracted from a patient’s cells. Scientists coax this new egg to grow for several days in a laboratory dish until it is an early embryo and stem cells can be obtained.
Over the last year, Harvard has spent tens of thousands of dollars on local newspaper ads in an attempt to recruit egg donors. Hundreds of women have responded to the ads, but none has followed through with donations, for a variety of reasons, Eggan said in an interview.
How N.I.C.E. of Harvard.
Good.
“Choice” works.
What percentage of women hate their own offspring?
Not many, thank God.
DonGander
Isn’t the procedure of retrieving eggs rather painful? But anything that puts a damper on embryonic stem cell research is a plus in my book. I add my ” good” to Br Michael’s.
I’m also glad.
Warms the heart.
I payment is good, then let’s pay for organ donations, no questions asked.
If this is such a good thing why are there not dedicated Female members of the institution lined up around the block or should i say the yard to do this important service. Maybe it is not as important as some say it is.
What no female doctors in the research program willing to use their eggs for the advance of medical science? 😉
“an unfertilized egg is not an “offspring†”
If what is done to the egg produces a human being, I would prefer to stand before God with my definitions than anyone else’s definititons unless mine os proven to be untrue. So far, no one has convinced me that whatever living thing comes from the human egg is not human.
DonGander
Is this guy’s name really Eggan ?
A related discussion on http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/
it’s the fourth article down, with an update in the second position down.
RE: “#13 My wife says its a good thing you’re not a woman. You’d be having a nervous breakdown once a month.”
Wow, how incredibly condescending of your wife to say that. And how frankly just flat wrong, as well.
Signed,
A Woman