Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Will $100 Million go from South Dakota to embryonic stem cell experiments?

Disclaimer: I have a part time job at Sanford Medical Center. The info shared in this blog post is drawn from stuff in the news, not from any sources within the Sanford system.

South Dakota credit card mogul and philanthropist T. Denny Sanford is giving another $100,000,000 to medical research, according to the Sioux Falls Argus Leader.

Sanford would not say where this particular gift is directed, according to the article. He indicated that details would be revealed in August.

Sanford has been funding significant research, especially toward a cure for Type 1 (Juvenile) Diabetes.

The possibility of embryonic stem cell experiments has come up with recent Sanford development and connections. In South Dakota, embryonic stem cell research is prohibited, but Sanford has built relationships with clinics in California, where it is encouraged.

The Sanford/Burnham Medical Research Institute in La Jolla, CA has a specific center for stem cell research. The Institute's events page has an upcoming fund raiser for embryonic stem cell research.

Embryonic stem cell experimentation is seen as a potential source of repair for significant medical conditions and injuries, because embryonic cells are able to differentiate into almost any other kind of cell the body needs.

However, they are obtained by destroying conceived human embryos. In addition, adult stem cells have shown some promising results without the attendant moral problem.

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