By Nathan Bernier, KUT Radio
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-825131.mp3
Dallas, TX –
Human embryonic stem cell research has already been conducted at universities across Texas, including Baylor, Rice, and the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. But only with private money. There's been no state funding and until now, no federal dollars. Dr. C. Thomas Caskey the U-T Health Science Center says President Obama's executive order has opened the floodgates.
Caskey: "Texas can be a very large contributor to the advances in this scientific area. And what I think now is it just makes it more available for our researchers to be able to move ahead."
But some people in favor of human embryonic stem cell research are concerned that social conservatives in Texas could push for a statewide ban on the practice.
Brown: "It's not a question of if. It's going to happen."
Joe Brown runs the lobby group Texans for the Advancement of Medical Research. He says the political climate in Texas has prompted some stem cell scientists to move elsewhere, like Dr.Dennis Roop, who left Baylor for the University of Colorado.
Brown: "There are states that are safe havens for research. Texas is notably not one of them."
But activists opposed to human embryonic stem cell research, like Joe Pojman (POY-man) with the Texas Alliance for Life, say right now their only focus is increasing funding for research into adult stem cells.
Pojman: "The emphasis is on where our state tax dollars are going to go. Are they going to go for the destruction of human life at the stage of embryo? Or are they going to go to that research which is working extremely well involving adult stem cells."
Bills are pending now at the State Legislature that would create an adult stem cell consortium to promote the field in Texas.
Nathan Bernier, KUT News