New Stem Cell Lines Created

United States stem-cell research was trumped last week when South Korean scientist Hwang Soo-huk and his research team announced they had created 11 new stem-cell lines from patients with a variety of genetic diseases.

Their report, published in Science magazine, also describes better protocols for conducting somatic cell nuclear transfer—otherwise known as therapeutic cloning.

Previously, scientists engaging in therapeutic stem-cell research had little chance of meeting their goals. Success rates ranged between 0 and 10 percent.

Cabot Professor in the Natural Sciences Douglas A. Melton said South Korea has outstripped the U.S. in its stem cell research.

“Without question, the South Koreans are the world leaders in this research, hands down,” he said.

Since isolated stem-cell lines are identical in genetic content to that of their donors, Hwang’s cell lines could serve as the first step in creating individual patient-based therapies—the next hallmark in the field of therapeutic systems.

“It certainly brings us closer toward the ideal of patient-based medicine,” Hwang said. “However, there is still how to make these cells evolve into the tissue that they need.”

Melton also said that such cell lines could be induced to grow into various “disease-specific” tissues, giving scientists the chance to study genetic disorders in a way never possible before.

Hwang told the Associated Press that, in the future, patients would be matched with the most genetically similar stem- cell-based treatment for their diseases—not unlike the current system of organ transplantation.

“We hope to open a world stem-cell bank, as early as this year, in Korea,” said Hwang. “It would mean that South Korea is taking the initiative in fighting human disease.”

Hwang said that he’d expect to turn the stem cell bank over eventually to an international oversight committee.

As the South Korean researchers announce their findings, U.S. legislators are debating a bill that would allow federal funding to be allocated for embryonic stem cells created via discarded embryos from in-vitro fertility clinics.

This differs from current legislation, which would only allow federal support for cell lines created before August 2001.

Two weeks ago, the South Korean government announced that it would pledge another $1 million to support Hwang’s research.

Hwang’s research team already receives $2 million in pure research funds and an extra $24.4 million to provide the necessary facilities and equipment from the government.

—Staff writer Risheng Xu can be reached at xu4@fas.harvard.edu.