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Finnish and Swedish scientists to increase cooperation in human
stem cells research
Wednesday, 27 November 2002
Research into stem cells, the first cells which appear in embryos before
differentiating into different organs of the body, is seen as the most
promising new area of medicine. Optimists believe that cooperation between
Finnish and Swedish experts in the field could give rise to a large Nordic
"Bio-Valley". Such cooperation could extend from the Finnish
universities of Kuopio and Oulu to Stockholm's famous Karolinska
Institute, and the University of Gothenburg.
There is enough Nordic expertise in field to compete with researchers in
the United States; Finnish and Swedish experts in stem cell research are
seen to be among the best in the world.
Furthermore, Finnish and Swedish legislation gives scientists more freedom
to study human embryos than that of many other countries.
Leading figures in stem cell research discussed the issue of increased
cooperation at a seminar
at Hanasaari in Espoo on Monday.
Experts believe that there are only 78 lines of cultivated human stem cells
currently under study, and 25 of them are in Sweden.
A line of stem cells is established by cultivating stem cells from a frozen
embryo that had been left over from fertility treatment. This is done with
the permission of the parents. The process involves the destruction of an
embryo less than a week old.
So far Finland does not have any of its own lines of stem cells, but there
is some Finnish expertise in Sweden.
Professor Outi Hovatta
is the head of a team at the Karolinska Institute, which is world famous in
the field. Also in Sweden the Medical University in Gothenburg has a very
strong foothold in stem cell research.
In Finland at least 12 projects or groups are working with stem cell
research in some form. Projects vary from those that study stem cells
developing into teeth, to those focusing on cells which grow into nerve
tissue.
So far only researchers at the University of Turku have maintained
direct contacts with Sweden. Scientists at Karolinska and Turku plan to
develop a bio-bank of different stem cell lines.
The seminar revealed that there are some difficulties in cooperation within
Sweden — a country that is seen as a superpower in the field. There is some
disagreement between Karolinska and Gothenburg on how companies utilising
the research should be established, and how the bounty of that research
should be shared.
The road to the establishment of a "Bio-Valley" is a rocky one.
More than half of the lines of stem cells are still in the United States.
Many American companies are also further along in bio-sciences, says Reijo Vihko, director-general of the
Academy of Finland. He used as his reference the EU report on Life
Sciences and Biotechnology, which assessed European competitiveness in
the field.
Although the United States is the leader in stem cell research, some
experts — angered by restrictions placed on the research by President George W. Bush
— have threatened to bring their know-how to Sweden.
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