Stem Cell Research in "Confusion" at UR's Stem Cell Institute

By Peter Iglinski

Rochester, NY – The director of the Stem Cell Institute at the University of Rochester says a judge's ruling has created "considerable confusion" with the local embryonic stem cell research.

Mark Noble says the order to stop federally funded research on embryonic stem cells takes away one of the tools used by researchers.

Noble says stem cell research offers the best hope for developing therapies in areas such as spinal cord injuries, Parkinson's Disease, and diabetes.

Noble says the start-stop mechanism for stem cell research puts American researchers at a disadvantage with their counterparts in other countries.

The University of Rochester Medical Center has more than 40 labs devoted to stem cell research. Four of them are involved in embryonic stem cell research.

The judge's ruling does not affect research on non-embryonic stem cells.