In April of 2002, the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) signed a licensing agreement enabling the world-wide distribution of human embryonic stem cells with ES Cell International. Now only a few months after new opportunities have already arisen for researchers at the University of Wisconsin.

Andrew Cohn, a spokesman for WARF, said recently in an interview:

"We want as many people looking at this as possible. That's the only way this research will reach its full potential."

Cohn said while no major breakthrough has yet taken place that would allow for commercial application of stem cell research, 115 facilities have begun to use the university's stem cells and the impact of this licensing agreement has already been unmistakable.

"We're making tremendous progress, we've taken the first necessary steps to making a difference."

Currently at the UW, the distribution of stem cells remains non-profit, but a number of private monetary gifts have been given to UW in the last few years exclusively to support the ongoing study of stem cells.

These gifts helped to provide for the establishment of the WiCell Research Institute. WiCell's main goal encompasses distribution and research of human embryonic stem cells.

Since the licensing agreement was signed last April, Cohn said, the WiCell Research Institute has been able to enlarge their facilities sevenfold.

The University of California-San Francisco is also part of the stem cell distribution agreement signed by WARF. Jennifer O'Brien, a spokesperson for UCSF, said the university is planning much of its future around stem cell research.

"We're in the process of developing a whole new program around stem cells," O'Brien said.

"At this point nothing has been built, but we're planning to expand our campus with a lot of space allocated for stem cell research."

Cohn concluded:

"We certainly hope to bring something to this university. But, really, we hope this research will in the end benefit mankind."



L.
Ed.
CellNEWS