Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore is placing a big bet that the hot field of cell therapies will pay off. The university announced Tuesday it would use a $ 58.5 million gift from an anonymous donor to launch an ambitious cell Engineering Institute. Its researchers will try to reprogram human cells in treatments for a range of diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), diabetes, and spinal cord.
One objective of the work will be on the stem so-called pluripotent cells. At the end of 1998, researchers at Johns Hopkins and John Gearhart Michael Shamblott and colleagues reported that they had isolated the so-called fetal germ cells taken from immature reproductive organs of aborted fetuses, which could become any type of cell in the body. Since then, the team tried to discover how to program the cells to become specific cell types such as neurons. Initial results were promising enough that the team has begun testing the cells in several animal models of the disease
But Gearhart said the fetal cells derived -. the use of which is disputed by some antiabortion groups-- is one area, the new institute will explore. The teams will work on stem cells derived from adults and from basic research into the molecular signals that govern the ability of a cell to make a new destiny. "We are not putting all our eggs in one basket," said Gearhart. The institute will also include immunologists who will try to find ways to make stem cell therapies compatible with the immune systems of patients. Private financing institute researchers will "not invulnerable" to the heated debate on the use of public funds for research on stem cells ( Science NOW, January 30, 01), says Evan Snyder stem cell researcher of children's Hospital Boston.
university has not yet appointed a director of the institute, which will employ 27 full-time researchers and involved 50 "associate researchers' other departments or institutions, Hopkins said Executive Vice Dean Elias Zerhouni. Finally, it will take two floors of a new basic research building, which should be completed in 03.
related site
Johns Hopkins press release about the new institute with information on some of the key researchers involved
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