IN MARCH, President Barack Obama lifted the restriction on federal funds being used for embryonic stem cell research, and in April the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the US governmental agency that funds biomedical research, published revised guidelines on how such funds would be spent.
Human stem cells used for research at present are derived from embryos, sourced from adult cells, such as bone marrow, or are adult cells induced to behave as embryonic stem cells – induced pluripotent cells (IPS cells). Embryonic stem cells are t
he major source of such cells for medical and research purposes, but, due to the controversy surrounding them, and in the US, restrictions on federal funding, the research community has looked to others sources such as IPS, somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) and parthogenesis.
In SCNT, the nucleus of one cell is removed and placed into another, such as a human female egg cell (oocyte) where it can then reproduce to provide a stem cell line. Parthogenesis can involve a variety of techniques, but all essentially aim to create an embryo solely from a female oocyte without any genetic contribution from a male.
The new NIH guidelines allow federal funding for research using stem cells from donated embryos created for reproductive purposes that have been given with donor consent. But the guidelines also make clear certain research, such as somatic cell nuclear transfer and parthogenesis, will not be federally funded.
The restrictions President George Bush placed on funding for stem cell research meant those states that supported it provided their own funds. Now, that research can be supported federally, albeit with limitations. The question is how this will impact on other research using IPS cells, SCNT and parthogenesis that many researchers think is the way forward for finding treatments for degenerative diseases.
This could benefit the Scottish stem cell industry, as it may lead to an increase in opportunities for international collaboration in research and development. This is particularly true in research areas prohibited from receiving federal funds under the new guidelines, such as SCNT and parthogenesis. It could also be seen as an opportunity for Scotland to take the lead in adult stem cell research involving IPS cells.
The fact the revised NIH guidelines will mean federal funds are available for embryonic stem cell research should not necessarily have a negative effect on the UK stem cell industry. The UK has traditionally had reliable funding for research in this area, and the next step will be to pull that basic science into clinical applications. This is likely to involve international collaborations to develop basic science into realistic therapies.
Since the introduction of the Bush policy, the UK, particularly Scotland, has been seen as one of the key alternative locations for this research, along with Canada and countries such as China, India and Japan.
With Scotland's established track record, coupled with the certainty of the UK regulatory framework and a supportive public, it should remain an attractive area for stem cell research and innovation.
• Philippa Montgomerie is an associate in law firm DLA Piper's IP and technology team.
