President Bush’s decision on federal funding of stem cells was flawed but better than cutting funds all together, Medical School Prof. Jack Kessler told about 20 students Tuesday night.
“He let the door open for stem cell research,” said Kessler, chairman of the neurology department. “The net effect will be beneficial to the field, not harmful. … One can’t close the door once it’s open.”
The Undergraduate Premedical Society and Undergraduate Psychology Association brought Kessler to speak at Technological Institute to enhance students’ knowledge on the controversial topic.
Stem cell research has the potential to cure illnesses from Parkinson’s disease to diabetes, Kessler said, but critics of the research fear the potential for human cloning and for the loss of life.
But Kessler discounted possible dangers of cloning resulting from stem cell research.
“In theory I could clone myself,” Kessler said. “However, that would be an abuse of this technology. I don’t think there is a single biologist who would advocate this. The fact that we can abuse something doesn’t mean we shouldn’t use it for positive purposes.”
Similarly, Kessler said he believes that the research deals with such an early stage of embryo development that most religious beliefs do not conflict with it.
Although Kessler said Bush was right to take various opinions into account when deciding in August whether to fund stem cell research, he criticized Bush for not fully comprehending the scientific details of the process before deciding.
Kessler said a friend serving as a stem cell research expert during the negotiations told Kessler that Bush “did not have a clue” because the politicians did not listen to the experts’ advice.
The final decision to fund research using only existing stem cell lines did not reflect all the facts, Kessler said. For example, instead of the 64 existing lines Bush touted, in reality half that number exists at the most and probably much fewer.
Although Kessler said he is glad for governmental support, he added that the research would continue regardless.
“We’re going to do it anyway, no matter what the president says,” Kessler said.
The biological importance of a stem cell lies in its ability both to renew itself indefinitely and to give rise to other kinds of cells. This means that these cells can compose every organ in the human body.
Using stem cells will “revolutionize the field of medicine” because the cells have the ability to construct whole organs and correct defective genes, Kessler said, potentially leading to cures for life-threatening diseases.
The controversy surrounding the technology lies in the methods used to obtain the stem cells. Some critics of the research believe that tampering with cells in the early stages of human development poses ethical questions about the morality behind human cloning and anti-abortion issues.
But Kessler reiterated that the life-saving applications for stem cell research outweigh the risks. Many of the students at the speech agreed with this viewpoint.
“The potential for abuse should not be preventive in the research, said Bich-Van Pham, co-president of the Undergraduate Premedical Society.
Weinberg sophomore Brant Ullery agreed.
“The medical trade-off is so great that one should take advantage of its potential,” said Ullery, a pre-medical student.
