Here's some good news.
Al Gore on board for $20M stem cell venture - USATODAY.com
Former vice president Al Gore is entering the stem cell arena with an announcement today of a $20 million biotech venture in the hot area of "induced pluripotent" stem cells.Induced cells are attracting interest from researchers and biotech firms as an alternative to embryonic stem cells. Induced cells are made by inserting four genes into ordinary skin cells, and they offer a new path for "regenerative" medical treatments.
"I just think it's a very important breakthrough that is filled with promise and hope," says Gore, a partner with the venture-capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, which is backing the research. "I think this is one of those good news stories that comes along every once in a while."
Unortunately he also said the following in the Wall Street Journal, but at least he's putting his money behind the promising research, rather then the dead end and unethical human embryo dissection.
"I think that the incredible excitement over this new collaboration [between Kyoto University and iZumi] shouldn't be used as an argument against other kinds of research, as long as it's pursued ethically and along prescribed guidelines," said former Vice President Al Gore, a partner at venture-capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, which is backing iZumi. (Highland Capital Partners is another backer of the company.)
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