From the Director
The derivation of gene edited, universal, HIV-resistent human stem cells from unfertilized eggs will not be without controversy. Fortunately, we have meritorious individuals serving as our Ethics Advisory Board, our Human Subjects Committee and our Stem Cell Research Oversight Committee. Their guidance has helped us forge ahead into areas of stem cell development that larger institutions have shied away from because the work cannot be funded by our federal government. The “Dickey-Wicker Amendment” to the budget of the National Institutes of Health has been renewed annually and prohibits funds to be used for studies of unfertilized human eggs. We have for years believed unfertilized eggs (“parthenotes”) will be a broadly applicable source of “universal” human stem cells for everybody. Since human egg research MUST be privately funded, progress depends entirely on private donations.
BRF is uniquely positioned to push this exciting field forward, and we need everyone’s support!
Ann A Kiessling, PhD
Director, Bedford Research Foundation