Report summarizes status of stem cell research, funding and political policies in Texas
Baker Institute International Stem Cell Policy Program issues report to Texas legislature, governor

BY DAVID RUTH
Rice News staff

A report issued this week by the Baker Institute International Stem Cell Policy Program at Rice University gives a comprehensive overview of the status of stem cell biology, government policies and economic data in the state of Texas.

	KIRSTIN MATTHEWS

The report, titled “Stem Cells and Biomedical Research in Texas,” was led by Baker Institute Science and Technology Policy Fellow Kirstin Matthews and was delivered to all state legislators and Gov. Rick Perry.

“The goal of this report is to provide state leaders, policymakers and the public with a look at where Texas currently stands on stem cell scientific research,” Matthews said. “This report does not provide policy recommendations; rather, it is a straightforward view of where the state stands on this important issue.”

The state of Texas receives more than $1 billion in funding from National Institutes of Health for biomedical research each year and ranks fifth in the nation. Of this, $59 million goes toward stem cell research and $6.6 million for human embryonic research.

Unlike California, Massachusetts and other states, Texas does not have any policy on stem cell research. Legislators have tried in the past to introduce laws to ban embryonic stem cell research, including a ban on state funding in the 2009 session. In addition, Perry has said that he would veto any bills that support state-funded embryonic research.

“If a ban on embryonic stem cells were implemented in Texas, many researchers who are working in the field would likely leave the state to find new positions where there is more permissive regulation,” Matthews said. “It would also create the perception that Texas is anti-science and would hurt recruiting, especially of high-profile researchers. A ban could also negatively impact the amount of federal funding brought into the state.”

Matthews said stem cell research and therapies have the potential to lead to discoveries to treat different types of diseases and disorders, including Parkinson’s, diabetes and multiple sclerosis. In fact, some stem cell research has already led to some therapies. Adult stem cells for bone marrow were successfully used in 1968; blood stem cells have been used for years to treat some cancers and problems affecting the immune system; and stem cell therapies have been used to regenerate damaged cells in the eye to restore sight.

There are many different types of stem cells, including embryonic, adult, cord blood and induced pluripotent; however, none of these alone is the answer — researchers say that all types of stem cells are needed to create the different types of cells to treat patients.

The most controversial of these are embryonic. From 2001 to 2009, President George W. Bush allowed federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research using 21 stem cell lines created before 2001. In 2009, President Obama rescinded Bush’s policy and removed the cutoff date to allow funding of research on stem cell lines created after 2001. Currently law and the NIH guidelines allow federal funding for unused embryos made for reproductive purposes and donated freely with proper informed consent.

Creating policies that will inhibit areas of biomedical and biotechnological development could negatively impact all the work done to promote new business within the state such as the Texas Enterprise Fund, the Texas Emerging Technology Fund and the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, according to the report. It also could affect Texas’ current status as a hub for biomedical research. In 2007, it was estimated that for every $1 of NIH funding, Texas generated $2.49 in economic activity, the highest return in the nation.

To read the full report, “Stem Cells and Biomedical Research in Texas,” go to www.bakerinstitute.org/publications/texasstemcellreport.

To read the report’s FAQ, go to www.bakerinstitute.org/publications/stemcellFAQ.