History of Stem Cell Research

First successful bone marrow transplant between relatives is completed

In vitro fertilization begins

First bone marrow transplant between unrelated people is successful

Blood (adult) stem cells are discovered in umbilical cord blood

Mouse embryonic stem cells are first isolated

Pres. Clinton’s executive order allows federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, but reverses decision in 1994

University of Wisconsin isolates embryonic stem cells in primates

Dickey Wicker Amendment is passed banning use of federal funds for development of embryos for research and for any research destroying an embryo

University of Wisconsin researchers, led by Dr. James Thomson, isolate first human embryonic stem cells

Pres. George W. Bush restricts federal funding to only existing stem cell lines

Pancreatic cells derived from mouse embryonic stem cells cure diabetes in mice

South Korean researchers claim to have cloned human embryo. Research is later discredited as untrue.

Nerve cells lost in Parkinson’s disease are produced from human embryonic stem cells

California becomes first state to provide own funding for embryonic stem cell research

Bi-partisan federal regulation passes to ease federal funding restriction on embryonic stem cell research

Human neural cells injected into mice help reverse paralysis

Pres. Bush uses first veto to block stem cell research funding bill

Embryonic stem cells first grown without animal products in the feeder layer of the culture

Bipartisan federal legislation again passes bipartisan bill to ease federal funding restriction on embryonic stem cell research and Pres. Bush again vetoes it

Teams of researchers in Wisconsin and Japan modify adult skin cells into induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) cells which behave like embryonic stem cells by using viruses to introduce four genetic factors that cause the change

Nov. 4, Michigan voters pass Proposal 2 which modifies the state constitution to allow state researchers to derive new embryonic stem lines, using procedures already employed in laboratories around the world, provided the embryos:

• Were created for the purpose of fertility treatment
• Would otherwise have been discarded, either because they were not suitable for clinical use or because they were no longer needed
• Were donated through informed, written consent by the person seeking fertility treatment without any payment
• Came from eggs fertilized for 14 days or less.

Michigan’s ban on human (reproductive) cloning was not altered by Proposal 2 and remains in full effect.

Various researchers announce success with creating iPS cells using fewer viruses and genes.

FDA approves world's first clinical trial human using embryonic stem cell-based therapies for California company to test a treatment for spinal cord injury

President Barack Obama issues Executive Order 13505 allowing government funding for embryonic stem cell research using all ethically derived stem cell lines

2009 NIH develops guidelines to “establish policy and procedures under which NIH will fund research in this area, and to help ensure that NIH-funded research in this area is ethically responsible, scientifically worthy and conducted in accordance with applicable law.” (http://stemcells.nih.gov/policy/2009guidelines.htm)