Notes For Today

My son is still ill, so no heavy duty blogging. He has flu, I hope we are done soon. Anyway, the headlines that have been coming in have mostly all been either about the PrimeGen announcement that they had differentiated human male germ cells into cells with embryonic like properties, or the news about the rats with spinal cord injuries having some recovery after receiving neural stem cells from mice. So not much has happened in the stem cell world while I've been out of commission. (See a widely reprinted Reuters story for more on the germ cells, or the PrimeGen website.)

Bits and pieces--the California Center for Regenerative Medicine may name research programs after people who donate at least $10 million. Opponents to the plan are concerned that this may influence what research is done, that big donors could sway policy. (Wouldn't this be a concern even if naming were not involved?) But it is expected to go forward. More in the San Jose Mercury News.

The International Herald Tribune printed an editorial from the New York Times about the problems of the state by state approach to funding stem cell research. It included a call for therapeutic cloning to be included in the lifting of federal restrictions that Congress is considering.

That's about it. I hope to be able to write some tomorrow, and I am hoping like mad that he goes back to school Tuesday and I have a normal day.