In what advocates deem a huge victory for the state, the WiCell Research Institute announced Monday it had been chosen as the federal government's first and only National Stem Cell Bank. The bank's four-year, $16 million contract with the National Institutes of Health will allow UW-Madison to categorize stem cell lines and distribute these cell lines to researchers around the country.
The announcement comes after last week's state Legislature vote to ban all human cloning in the state of Wisconsin, a move that some state Democrats and Gov. Jim Doyle feel would negatively affect stem cell research at UW-Madison.
Gov. Doyle said he plans to veto the state Legislature's bill to ban human cloning.
U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, said personal agendas in the state Legislature are trumping public good and everyone is paying the price.
\This is historic research that has the potential to change the face of medicine in the 21st century and alleviate much pain and suffering,"" she said. ""I encourage the people of Wisconsin to raise their voices and demonstrate their interest in advancing this research and solidifying Wisconsin's position of leadership in the biosciences.""
Baldwin also applauded Doyle's efforts to support science, academic freedom and public health.
Doyle said the NIH's decision to select WiCell for the National Stem Cell Bank is a victory for all of Wisconsin, and that the state's economy would benefit from supporting the growing biotechnology industry.
""Today's announcement is evidence that we are not just competing in the biomedical and health technology fields, but we are excelling,"" he said. ""We are embarking on a new journey of scientific innovation.""
Dr. James Thomson, the UW-Madison researcher who first isolated stem cells in 1998, was also on hand to celebrate the stem cell victory. He said it is odd, however, that the investment came from a federal agency when support for stem cell research on a state level has been diminished.
Thomson and UW-Madison Chancellor John Wiley said the National Stem Cell Bank is a good thing for the university and the people of Wisconsin.
""The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation is the envy of every other university in the country,"" Wiley said. ""This [stem cell bank] is part of a plan that seems to be working.""
Wiley added that the most important thing is that the stem cell bank promotes UW-Madison's mission to advance knowledge.
The National Stem Cell Bank will provide many benefits to academic researchers, including a cost of only $500 for obtaining stem cell lines and special training classes to gain familiarity in working with the stem cell lines.
