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NIH approves first stem cell lines for use in federally-funded research

E-mail | Print | Comments () Posted by Carolyn Y. Johnson December 2, 2009 03:22 PM

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By Carolyn Y. Johnson, Globe Staff

The National Institutes of Health today announced that the first 13 human embryonic stem cell lines – 11 of them developed at Children’s Hospital Boston -- have been approved for use in federally-funded research.

The announcement has been awaited by scientists since March, when President Obama issued an executive order that expanded federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.

At least 30 NIH grants funded in fiscal year 2009, worth more than $20 million, involved using human embryonic stem cells, but those grants were on hold until the stem cell lines were approved.

Dr. George Q. Daley, the stem cell biologist at Children’s Hospital Boston and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute who developed the 11 lines, said that the approval will have an immediate impact. His laboratory had been awarded a grant that had been on hold pending approval of the stem cell lines.

“The funding has been held, awaiting approval of these lines,” Daley said. “We’re scampering around today to contact our program officer at the NIH, to determine whether we can now actually use the funds. It has a very immediate effect.”

In that grant, Daley will compare human embryonic stem cells with another type of embryonic-like cells that are made by spinning back the clock of adult cells. Those cells, called induced pluripotent stem cells, have generated much excitement among scientists, but have also sparked questions about whether they are truly equivalent to human embryonic stem cells.

The 13 lines are the first of many that will ultimately be available to scientists. According to the NIH, another 96 lines have been submitted for review.

“I am happy to say we now have human embryonic stem cell lines eligible for use by our research community under our new stem cell policy,” Dr. Francis S. Collins, the NIH director, said in a statement. “In accordance with the guidelines, these stem cell lines were derived from embryos that were donated under ethically sound informed consent processes.”

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White Coat Notes covers the latest from the health care industry, hospitals, doctors offices, labs, insurers, and the corridors of government. Chelsea Conaboy previously covered health care for The Philadelphia Inquirer. Write her at cconaboy@boston.com. Follow her on Twitter: @cconaboy.

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