.
Dr. Steven Teitelbaum, a pathology and immunology professor at
, said scientists there were enthused about the prospect of advancing research with embryonic stem cells but also shared a word of caution about expectations.
“We want to see the promise of this therapy move forward,” he said Friday. “But we have to be careful about expectations. This is not a clinical trial to test whether embryonic stem cells will work therapeutically. This won’t make people get out of their wheelchairs. This is to determine only the safety of embryonic stem cells,” he said.
in Menlo, Calif., move forward with the world’s first study of a human embryonic stem cell based therapy in humans. Geron (NASDAQ: GERN) stock shot up about 50 percent Friday on the news.
“This is a good day for Missouri and our great research institutions like the University of Missouri, Washington University and the
” in Kansas City, said Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster in a statement. “But more importantly, it is a day of hope for all those who suffer from diseases that stem cell research might someday cure.”
The results of this first trial will have an impact on if and when St. Louis scientists will use stem cells to develop new drugs or to further research into genetic testing, said Teitelbaum, who studies bone diseases and osteoporosis.
Ed Martin, president of the
, said he wasn’t surprised by the decision given President Barack Obama’s support of stem cell research.
“But I am disappointed that Obama is moving so quickly,” he said.
for a state constitutional amendment that would ban the use of tax dollars for embryonic stem cell research, abortions and human cloning.
The study focuses on spinal cord injuries, but people with cancer, diabetes, heart disease and other afflictions should take note because scientists are exploring whether embryonic stem cells could treat those diseases, too, said Jim Goodwin, spokesman for the
.