Monday, September 17, 2007

Regeneration for Repair's Sake

Scientists see stem cell therapies in the future as having the potential to assist in the regeneration of whole organs or parts of organs. Pluripotent cells, or embryonic stem cells, having the broadest ability to differentiate, are the best candidates for experimentation in regenerative techniques. USA scientists are geared up to make inroads in this field upon the end of the present administration's restrictions. But USA education is not creating enough new scientists, engineers and doctors for this needed field.

A brain drain from other countries into our own might be on the way to replenish our dwindling population of talented and well trained youth. In an almost exact reflection of our current restrictive policies on stem cell experimentation, our current policy of allowing only scientific exploration of adult stem cells - strong and resourceful, but with limited horizons - may be being usurped by the potential of pluripotent, embryonic stem cells - or foreign students with the potential to introduce new concepts and solutions we haven't as yet dreamed of.

The "American melting pot" may better represent a new import of scientific and technological talent arriving to raise us out of the ashes of suppressed science. What do you think?