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NIH Lifts Ban on Funding Research on Human-Animal Chimeras

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Assistant Professor of Genetics and Developmental Biology Stormy Chamberlain holds a tray of stem cells at the University of Connecticut`s Stem Cell Institute. (Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

The National Institutes of Health announced Thursday that it will lift a funding moratorium for experiments that involve injecting human stem cells into animal embryos.  Researchers hope to grow human tissues or organs in animals for use in disease research. The NIH imposed the moratorium in September over ethical issues and concerns that scientists could inadvertently create animals with partially human brains or human consciousness. Forum discusses the promise and potential risks of using chimeras in research.

More Information

NIH to Lift Ban on Funding Part-Human, Part-Animal Embryo Creation (KQED Science)

Public Comment Page at NIH.gov

Guests:

Carrie Wolinetz, associate director for science policy, National Institutes of Health

Sean Wu, associate professor of medicine, Stanford University

Stuart Newman, professor of cell biology and anatomy, New York Medical College

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