By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
A leading British scientist who believes the UK’s focus on embryonic stem cell research and cloning is “out of whack” has decided to accept a position at a major university in France where he can continue his work on adult stem cell research.
Colin McGuckin, a professor of regenerative medicine at Newcastle University in England is an expert on the use of adult stem cells.
According to a report appearing on LifeNews.com, only a day after the UK House of Commons approved a bill that would allow hybrid human cloning, McGuckin announced his plans to move to France’s University of Lyon in January. He will bring along a 10-member research team and open one of the world’s largest institutes devoted to adult stem cells and chord blood cells in the world.
“The bottom line is my vocation is to work with patients and help patients and unfortunately I can’t do that in the UK,” McGuckin told the Times. He said France provides a “much better environment” to cure patients and further his work.
“(France) is very supportive of adult stem cells because they know that these are the things that are in the clinic right now and will be more likely in the clinic,” he added.
“A vast amount of money in the UK from the Government has gone into embryonic stem-cell research with not one patient having being treated, to the detriment of (research into) adult stem cells, which has been severely under funded.”
Dr. David Prentice, a biologist and fellow at the Family Research Council, told LifeNews.com that McGuckin’s leaving the UK is yet another example of how embryonic stem cells are given a misplaced priority.
“This story sadly illustrates how the hype surrounding embryonic stem cells, cloning, and other unethical research has pushed aside the reality of adult stem cells,” he said.
“Dr. McGuckin has made great advances using cord blood stem cells, including actual patient treatments as well as growing liver tissue from cord blood stem cells. But the U.K. government, beguiled by the scientists that simply want to experiment on human embryos, has ignored my friend’s results as well as the patients,” Prentice said.
Prentice concluded: “Newcastle is losing one of the few research programs that is producing real, useful results and one of the few ethical projects that don’t destroy human life. France is the real winner here, and their medical program will benefit tremendously.”
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