The National Institutes of Health re-approved federal funding on Tuesday for five prominent stem-cell lines discovered at UW-Madison, according to a WiCell press release. James Thomson's research team uncovered the lines in 1998, including H9 cells, which are the most reliable and accounted for about 40 percent of all stem-cell research orders made before the Bush Administration banned their federal funding, according to the release.
Although the Obama Administration repealed that ban last year, the five Wisconsin cell types had to reapply for eligibility under new NIH donation guidelines, which was difficult because many of the cells were donated from a medical center in Israel.
Erik Forsberg, executive director for WiCell—which distributes stem cells worldwide and is affiliated with UW—said in a statement the re-approval of these particular lines was great news for Wisconsin and the scientific community.
""Many researchers have invested years studying these specific cell lines, so without this approval, millions of dollars of time-consuming research could have been set back for years, or even ended.""
