NEWS: UW Honored For Stem-Cell Research

[Murray Charters <mcharters@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

UW Honored For Stem-Cell Research

by Chris Werner, College Editor
September 30, 2003

The National Institute of Health recognized the University of Wisconsin's 
WiCell Research Institute as a leading stem-
cell research center last week, awarding the center a three-year research grant 
worth nearly $1.7 million.

Such a grant reflects the superior quality of research UW supports, Wisconsin 
Alumni Research Foundation spokesman
Andrew Cohn said.

"This is an important grant in that it designates us as an exploratory center. 
Being designated as a national center is
an incredibly prestigious designation," he said. "We have incredible 
scientists."

As Cohn noted, this grant will help scientists to better understand the core 
biological workings of stem cells through
studies of cell cultures and tissues.

In addition, Cohn said the honor surrounding the grant will have a far-reaching 
impact on the research reputation of
UW.

"It will have a tremendous effect on the university."

Cohn is confident this grant will help UW draw companies worldwide interested 
in utilizing stem cells and will attract
private donors to help finance future studies.

Mike Fritsch, assistant professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, feels 
that UW has already established itself as
a foremost leader in stem-cell research.

"The university has made a great commitment to this, and they're doing this the 
right way. Wisconsin has the edge right
now," he said.

Fritsch attributes the quality of stem-cell research to UW researcher and 
professor James Thomson, who was the first to
successfully harbor stem cells in a laboratory setting in 1998.

Since that time, stem-cell studies have evolved to cover various facets of 
medicine and science. Fritsch said he is
confident that such advances will continue to benefit humanity in such 
immediate ways as helping to cure diseases like
Parkinson's disease.

"It has great potential to be used clinically," he said, noting that the 
long-term reach of stem-cell research is
uncertain.

In addition to the WiCell Research Institute, two other grants were given, one 
to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research
Center at the University of Washington-Seattle and the other to the University 
of Michigan-Ann Arbor Medical School.
Together, the three expenditures amount to $6.3 million.

SOURCE: UW Badger Herald, WI


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