From the Reporters

Cell Yeah!

 

Yesterday was a big day on the cell stem front. Ignoring President Bush's federal guidelines, Illinois became the latest state to spend public ducats funding stem cell research, offering $10 million in research grants the first year. Meanwhile, up on Capitol Hill, a Congressional subcommittee (with a visit from stem cell advocate Michael J. Fox) debated the bioethical questions surrounding the upcoming legislation in the Senate. It appears that President Bush doesn't have the votes and is going to foolishly veto the expansion of stem cell research, which is a big gamble because deciding other people's medical fate doesn't play so well in the general populace. (See: Schiavo, Terri).

Outside of the political arena, researchers in Milan found that stem cells may protect the brain and nervous system against damage from tumors and conditions such as multiple sclerosis.

Last February, Inc. looked at the state of stem cells in California and the potential entrepreneurial ramifications. I think it's fair to say, there's a lot of action on this front, which means businesses are being created as we speak. So damn the bureaucracy, full speed ahead, stem cells entrepreneurs are coming. If not today, then in the very near future. MBA's everywhere are combing the halls of the biology labs, and vice versa. Why not get rich and maybe even knock out a few diseases in the process?

As Marty McFly once said, "I guess you guys aren't ready for that, yet. But your kids are gonna' love it."