Stem-cells Drug Testing Predicted To Boom Under Obama

Stem-cells Drug Testing Predicted To Boom Under Obama

www.sciencedaily.com

ScienceDaily (Dec. 18, 2008) — Embryonic stem cells could provide a new way of testing drugs for dangerous side effects, according to a leading British researcher.

and

“Regulators now require that drugs be tested for potential effects on the heart before going to market. At present the pharmaceutical industry has no alternative but to do this using heart cells from animals.

(visit the link for the full news article)


Related News Links:
seattletimes.nwsource.com

Here is another clip.....
$25M donated for stem-cell lab

"Seeking to advance stem-cell research in California, philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad said Wednesday they will donate $25 million to the University of California, San Francisco, for a laboratory that will bring together some of the world's leading scientists in the field."



There is something about all this new stem cell research that worries me.

I don't know about you but the money that’s poring into stem cell research is mind boggling. I know that one day it’s supposed to help us and there has been some decent proof of that lately.

I do hope there is not an evil angle to this sure someone’s going to get rich on the poor sods of this world. But is there another side of this we are not aware of. ATS is the best place by far to ask the question – so is anyone out there in the “know” I wonder.

I would appreciate any ideas, it would enlighten me and I hope many others.


www.sciencedaily.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Although im very very hopeful for stem cell research it worries me when people put to much hope and money into it,science should always have different avenues and ways to tackle these types of things...although if recent developments such as growing a liver are to go by...i think within 20 years this will revolutionize medicine as much as the antibiotic did.

Please do not confuse what these people are doing with science.

Science is a discipline.

This is business.

At the end of the day science will ALWAYS take a back seat to profit and commercial considerations. The scientists are not more than employees (which is sad).

Originally posted by Solomons
Although im very very hopeful for stem cell research it worries me when people put to much hope and money into it, science should always have different avenues and ways to tackle these types of things...although if recent developments such as growing a liver are to go by...i think within 20 years this will revolutionize medicine as much as the antibiotic did.

They do, but the technology is still in it's infancy. Stem Cells are still in their infancy too, but are a hell of a lot closer to a finished product than either Nanotechnology or Gene Therapy are. I don't really see any one particular technology overtaking the others and making them obsolete. Rather, I see a great trifacto of medicine which will arise in the next 50 years to revolutionize health-care and enhance not only the quantity of life greatly, but also the quality of life.

One of the major problems with medicine we have right now, is that we're still trying to cure patients with a very brute force and savage method. We look for natural and man-made chemical compounds which cause the body to react in a specific way that, hopefully, is detrimental to the disease or lessens symptoms. We're currently making the transition away from this to designer medicines. Medicines that take each person's unique bio-chemistry and genetic makeup into account and act upon it. Medicines that are designed to destroy specific diseases in specific tissues for specific individuals.

It's really remarkable. To augment this, we have nanotechnologies which can enter a person's bloodsteam and provide assistance to major organs by producing and releasing insulin, sequestering and capturing - then releasing 10x the amount of oxygen the lungs and red blood cells are capable of, of being able to target and destroy specific cancer or other pathogen cells without damaging the surrounding tissue, or an army of scrubbing nanites which keep our blood vessels free of cholesterol and other deposits which can cause heart attack or stroke. And then, on top of that, we have stem cells - which are capable of growing new tissues to replace damaged organs. This could potentially wipe out the issues we currently face with organ shortages as well as wiping out any complications or risks of rejection - because it is YOUR tissue to begin with. Further, we can even use specifically designed retroviruses to inject repairs and patches to our genetic code, turning on and off sections of code in the programming which creates us. For example, we're looking into turning off certain genes which are responsible for holding onto more calories than we need daily. This was helpful to our species in the days of hunter-gatherers when we couldn't be sure if the next hunt or the next crop would be successful. Today, it only leads to obesity.

i am glad about this and i hope it opens up some doors for us.

stem cell use and nano tech are the way of the future as far as medical advancements go.

Originally posted by Solomons
Although im very very hopeful for stem cell research it worries me when people put to much hope and money into it,

Hope never worries me.


Thank Goodness for this. Bring on the 200 year life span!

reply to post by majestictwo


Interesting..World's leading scientists are in Ca working at Geron of embryonic stem cells.

[edit on 12/18/2008 by BlackProjects]

reply to post by majestictwo


First, Obama has nothing to do with the advancent of stem cell research. Everyonr gave Bush grief over turning down federally funded research on new lines of embryonic stem cells. Nothing is preventing the private sector from investing and testing. The amount of private money pouring into this is huge for one reason. The return could be so much more. Just don't credit Obama for something he hasn't done yet. If he approves federal dollars for research, he would be an idiot. That money is needed elsewhere during this economic downturn. The private sector will develop anyways.

Originally posted by on_yur_6
reply to post by majestictwo

 

First, Obama has nothing to do with the advancent of stem cell research. Everyonr gave Bush grief over turning down federally funded research on new lines of embryonic stem cells. Nothing is preventing the private sector from investing and testing. The amount of private money pouring into this is huge for one reason. The return could be so much more. Just don't credit Obama for something he hasn't done yet. If he approves federal dollars for research, he would be an idiot. That money is needed elsewhere during this economic downturn. The private sector will develop anyways.

Nope I’m not crediting Obama for anything the headline on the article suggested that. Apart from all the money pouring into this we or someone in future will pay dearly.
There is often two sides to a story and I was wondering what the other side is there will be a holy grail to something – just can’t figure it yet.