In yesterday's New York Times, researchers announced that they have made progress in their endeavor to create stem cells from skin cells for use in medical therapies. This research is important because while non-embryo-destructive stem cells, such as those made from skin cells, have shown great potential, using them has hitherto involved an increased risk of cancer.
The Times reports:
"In 2007, when scientists first reported they had reprogrammed skin cells into stem cells, it was hailed as an alternative to getting stem cells from embryos, which are then destroyed. Since then, researchers have been working on fine-tuning the method.
...
The new approach is more efficient than earlier efforts and avoids tampering with DNA, said Derrick Rossi of Children's Hospital Boston and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute. He and his colleagues reported the work in a paper published online Thursday by the journal Cell Stem Cell."
Read the full article here.
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