Global network for stem cell research: World Stem Cell Foundation

[Faye]

Global network for stem cell researchBoston
October 19 2005

SCIENTISTS in South Korea who are leading the world in embryonic stem cell research are to join forces with researchers in Britain and the US.
The new World Stem Cell Foundation will be led by a pioneer in the field, Hwang Woo-suk at Seoul National University, with new branches in both America and Britain.
"When the use of these stem cells is limited to a particular country, it takes much too long to create technologies usable for the whole humanity," Hwang said. "By creating a global network, we plan to share stem cells created in each country and share information on those stem cells."
Hwang's team became the first to harvest human embryonic stem cells from a cloned embryo last year. Britain also has been successful at human cell cloning and last year set up a stem cell bank.
The consortium hopes to create about 100 cell lines per year with genetic defects that cause such diseases as diabetes, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Aids and sickle cell anaemia. Researchers would study how these cells develop into diseased tissues.

http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/49183-print.shtml

DR. HWANG IS MY HERO!!!

[Faye]

International Stem Cell Initiative Planned

Collaboration on Cloned Embryos and Disease Research to Be Announced Today



By Justin Gillis
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 19, 2005; Page A06

Korean and American researchers are expected to announce a broad collaboration today under which cloned human embryos will be created in the United States, Britain and South Korea in an effort to develop new ways of studying -- and perhaps curing -- human disease.

Advocates said the collaboration, to be known as the World Stem Cell Hub, will seek to marry Korean expertise in cloning, a field in which that country has become a world leader, with the deep knowledge of U.S. and European researchers in the biology of human diseases. The plan could accelerate some types of medical research that have gotten off to a slow start because of political opposition in the United States, its backers said.

cloning laboratories in Seoul, San Francisco and London.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...101801598.html

[Faye]

India aims to become a hub for stem-cell research

P.S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE: The Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Anbumani Ramadoss, held discussions with policy-makers and science-administrators in Singapore and South Korea on the prospects for collaboration in the area of stem-cell research.

After holding talks with the Singapore Health Minister, Khaw Boon Wan, and the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Vivian Balakrishnan, on Monday, Dr. Ramadoss said India's objective was to emerge as a global "hub" for stem-cell research. A laser-beam focus of this kind was necessitated by the current shift in emphasis from drug-based therapeutics to cell-based initiatives, he indicated.

During his discussions here, Dr. Ramadoss initiated the process of "mutual recognition" of doctors, nurses and dentists under the recently-signed India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement. In South Korea, he attended an international conference on alternative medicines.

http://www.hindu.com/2005/10/26/stor...2607631300.htm

[Faye]

What happened to the World Stem Cell Hub?

I can only find a Korean version:
http://www.worldstemcellhub.org/

I would like to know more now that Hwang proved the first stem cell line from a SCNT/therapeutic cloning.