STEM CELL RESEARCH
Presented by Alexandria Piccinini
What are Stem Cells?
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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
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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
In Favor:



Medical benefits
outweigh ethical
concerns
Week old blastocysts
are not human beings
Majority of embryos
are discarded
Opposed:

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Morally unacceptable
Destroying a life
Created embryonic
cells are unecessary
Human Cloning
Cater to the wealthy
Should we expand federal funding?
US Policy versus International Policy
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Bush- strict funding
NIH funded $607 mil
Obama- removed
restrictions

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Criminalized in certain
European countries
Continuation of Nazi
eugenics
Foreign organizations
promoting funding
Why is Stem Cell Research Important?
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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-ethicaldilemma>.
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>.