DECIDE: The origin of stem cells
Wednesday
3 May 2006
18:30 - 20:30
Stem cells used in labs today can be sourced from a variety of places, including adult bone marrow, unwanted IVF embryos, umbilical cords and cloned stem-cell lines. How are these origins different, and does this affect the quality of the cells?
Constant media hype surrounding embryonic stem cells leaves other stem-cell sources in the dark. Is research into adult or umbilical cord stem cells being underfunded as a result? Could cord blood banks' provide a more viable avenue for research? And does such media attention give degenerative disease sufferers false hope, or is this necessary when catering to a society desperately seeking eternal life?
Dive into this open can of worms. Is it right to create embryos only to destroy them after sourcing their stem cells, just so that we might be able to halt degenerative diseases in the future? If embryos count as human, does this constitute a fair case of a life for a life?
Join us to wrestle with the issues and hear about the realistic potential of stem cells from involved scientists. Then make up your mind, and come to your own policy position, in DECIDE.
The Dana Centre is one of 13 institutions across 11 European countries taking part in the DECIDE project. It puts policy into your hands as cards, then you decide where your team stands. The results from each event will be fed back to European policy-makers.
Arrive early to enjoy a wide variety of delicious food and drink in our air-conditioned d.café, or make use of our free Internet access in the d.lounge.
Constant media hype surrounding embryonic stem cells leaves other stem-cell sources in the dark. Is research into adult or umbilical cord stem cells being underfunded as a result? Could cord blood banks' provide a more viable avenue for research? And does such media attention give degenerative disease sufferers false hope, or is this necessary when catering to a society desperately seeking eternal life?
Dive into this open can of worms. Is it right to create embryos only to destroy them after sourcing their stem cells, just so that we might be able to halt degenerative diseases in the future? If embryos count as human, does this constitute a fair case of a life for a life?
Join us to wrestle with the issues and hear about the realistic potential of stem cells from involved scientists. Then make up your mind, and come to your own policy position, in DECIDE.
The Dana Centre is one of 13 institutions across 11 European countries taking part in the DECIDE project. It puts policy into your hands as cards, then you decide where your team stands. The results from each event will be fed back to European policy-makers.
Arrive early to enjoy a wide variety of delicious food and drink in our air-conditioned d.café, or make use of our free Internet access in the d.lounge.