Missouri is Ground Zero for Stem-Cell Research

[jayem]

Embryonic stem cells are thought by most scientists and researchers to hold potential cures for spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, hundreds of rare immune system and genetic disorders and much more.

One of the most immediate benefits of ES cells may be in drug testing. Researching treatments for diseases of the heart, liver, brain, or other organs will be greatly enhanced by having cells which can develop into these tissues, so that the effects of drugs can be directly observed.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/e...ez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

But a lot of medical research takes time. Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928, but it couldn't be produced in quantity. It wasn't until the 40's that the technology was available to properly test it. It took about 15 years to recognize what a miracle penicillin was.