Geron Corporation - The New York Times

Dr Hans S Keirstead, assistant professor at University of California at Irvine, has emerged as one of leading scientific voices behind movement that persuaded California voters last November to approve measure to sidestep federal funding restrictions on stem cell research; Keirstead's supportes included people with spinal cord injuries, most notably Christopher Reeve, number of researchers in California and elsewhere say scientific validity of Keirstead's work has not been proved and technique might not be ready for testing in people; Keirstead and his corporate partner, Geron, plan next year to try treating people who have recent spinal cord injuries, in what would be first human trial of any therapy derived from such cells; Keirstead has been making paralyzed rats walk again, using treatment based on embryonic stem cells; scientists have developed way to chemically manipulate human embryonic stem cells to become oligodendrocytes, type of brain cell that forms insulation around neurons that carry signals telling muscles to move or relay sensations to brain; chart; photo (M)

By Andrew Pollack

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7r8XToqSeq16YvK5706inoptfmLyuvMCnsGiflae8r3nCqKmpp6KWwaq7zQ%3D%3D