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$5.1M for Sick Kids' research
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Date Posted on this Site
March 3, 2007
Publication
Toronto Star
Publication Date
February 27, 2007
Published Content
Megan Ogilvie
Health Reporter
A hub of stem-cell researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children is poised to make advances in the field after receiving a $5.1 million gift from an anonymous Canadian donor.
The money, which will be distributed over five years, will be used to fund collaboration between four of the hospital's top scientists and will merge expertise in adult stem cells, human embryonic stem cells and stem cells associated with cancer.
Janet Rossant, the hospital's chief of research and an expert in mouse embryo development, plans to use the new funds to start focusing on human embryonic stem cells.
Freda Miller, a neurobiologist, will continue her research on stem cells in adult skin that can develop into other types of cells. Computational biologist Shoshana Wodak will analyze the data derived from the collaboration.
The gift will also help fund Sick Kids researcher Peter Dirks, a neurosurgeon and developmental biologist who was the first to identify cancer stem cells in brain tumours. Recent research suggests that a small proportion of cells with stem-cell-like properties may be the source of all cancers.
"With adult and embryonic stem cells, we're hoping in the long run they will be useful for treating degenerative diseases such as diabetes and Parkinson's," Rossant said.
My Response Letter
The article suggests that a generous donation to Sick Kids hospital will lead to advances in the field of stem cell research, including research involving embryos. Advances are not guaranteed. Only the catastrophic loss of life is guaranteed, as numerous nascent humans are destroyed. It is ironic that a hospital dedicated to helping children will spend millions of dollars to kill them. No cure is worth this.
Jason Gennaro