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Scientist who grew liver from stem cells to tell conference the future bright for adult stem cell research
04.11.2010
A world-renowned stem cell scientist will tell a Dublin conference this weekend that a bright future exists for adult stem cell research. Dr Colin Mc Guckin, originally from Ballymena in Co Antrim, says that stem cell research using embryos is unnecessary because: "The best and easiest source (for stem cells) is cord blood stem cells, which are taken from a newborn baby."
Dr McGuckin is doing amazing things with stem cells. In 2006 his team made medical history in a huge international breakthrough when they grew a mini-liver from umbilical cord blood stem cells. The exciting news is that this breakthrough will one day provide entire organs for transplant.
He now heads up the prestigious Cell Therapy Research Institute, Lyon, France, which is one of the world's largest adult stem cell centres. He says that his research indicates that cord blood has an amazing capacity to develop into a wide range of human tissues including blood, blood vessel, liver and nervous tissues.
"This research could have a huge impact not only on treating human disease, but also provide human tissues for drug development and testing, removing the uncertainty of whether new drugs will have side effects," he added.
He points out that "Around 20 years ago, only a handful of diseases were being treated with umbilical cord blood stem cells. With the advancement in this field in recent times now over 80 diseases can be treated or supported with stem cells. The advances that have been made are staggering. It is now possible to store cord blood stem cells for several years and with this technology we can help to plan for future treatments."
Dr McGuckin also stressed that adult stem cell research is producing therapies to help patients right now, unlike embryonic stem cell research. "For me, the unnecessary row over stem cells has obscured the very real issue that patients are waiting to be treated. Some of those can be, here and now with cord blood. Cord blood has no ethical controversies whatsoever – it's accepted by every major religion on the planet. The best estimates of the embryonic scientists in our own university in Newcastle is that embryonic stem cells may not be able to help people this side of 50 years. That's my lifetime. And that's worrying. We can't wait that long."
He is also a freelance journalist working with TV, radio and print media and believes in promoting medical and scientific research understanding to the public. He is a UK Millennium Fellow & Media Fellow promoting science and medicine to the public.
Dr McGuckin will speak at the Viva la Vida conference hosted by Youth Defence this weekend and is available for a limited number of interviews over the coming days. Please call Íde on 087 9219661 for further details
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For further information, contact 01 8730463
