The state of Wisconsin filed a motion with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to join an amicus brief in the case that will determine the state of stem cell research nationwide, Gov. Jim Doyle announced Tuesday.
""Families around the world are depending on the stem cell research conducted in Wisconsin to provide life saving medical breakthroughs,"" Doyle said in a statement. ""Today the state is moving forward to join as a friend of the court in efforts to secure federal funding and support stem cell businesses and researchers in Wisconsin.""
If the request is granted, the state will join the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research, to which UW-Madison and dozens of other universities and organizations already belong.
Sherley v. Sebelius, the case Doyle said the state would help fight, could prohibit the federal government from providing funding for stem-cell research.
Doyle stressed not only the health benefits of stem-cell research, but what the lack of funding could mean for the state's economy.
Wisconsin is home to hundreds of bioscience companies and 11 stem cell-specific companies employing thousands of workers, according to the statement.
""Many of these jobs are at risk today,"" Doyle said in a letter to the Wisconsin Congressional Delegation. ""Losing the millions of dollars in federal grants that our top researchers have earned will be detrimental to this state.""
