advancements in Stem Cell Research and the Path forward
Recent breakthroughs in stem cell research are prompting international competition and raising both excitement and ethical considerations, according too Professor Choi Jae-cheon, a biologist formerly of Seoul National University and currently at Ewha Womans University. Professor Choi highlighted a significant achievement: the ability to “reverse the destiny” of cells already committed to a specific function, effectively resetting them to a more versatile state. He described this as a “great event” in the field.
This progress is partially fueled by global rivalry. In 2023, the Wise Bay Research Institute in Israel successfully created human embryos by reprogramming skin cells into nearly worldwide stem cells, and cultivated them for up to 14 days – a crucial stage marked by the formation of the primitive streak, a precursor to the body’s structure. This progress appears to have spurred Japan to approve similar research in July, fearing being left behind.
Though, Professor Choi emphasized that creating “customized humans” remains firmly in the realm of science fiction with current technology. While the Israeli team achieved 14-day embryo development, he stressed that the field is still in its early stages, facing significant hurdles. He illustrated this point by stating that even with Michael Jordan‘s skin cells, creating a stem cell and subsequently a son wouldn’t guarantee another athlete of Jordan’s caliber, as ability isn’t solely determined by genetics.
Further illustrating the complexities, Professor Choi noted current technological limitations in reproductive applications. while men can currently create both sons and daughters using their own genes, women are currently unable to produce sons through the same process, requiring a more complex introduction of a Y chromosome.
Despite these limitations, Professor Choi underscored the immense potential for positive applications. He envisions advancements in personalized medicine, offering potential cures for congenital genetic diseases. A particularly promising area is organ regeneration. Creating replacement organs from a patient’s own cells would eliminate the risk of rejection, offering a significant improvement over conventional transplantation.
However, Professor Choi cautioned against unchecked progress, advocating for open discussion and collaboration. He believes widespread knowledge and debate are crucial to ensure the research is guided ethically and responsibly. He expressed concern that restricting research in one country wouldn’t prevent unethical practices elsewhere, referencing the 2005 stem cell research manipulation scandal involving Dr. Hwang Woo-suk, a former professor at Seoul National University who fabricated research findings and violated ethical guidelines, severely damaging public trust in the field.
Ultimately, Professor Choi believes that advancements in biology hold the power to shape our future, perhaps leading to either a dystopian or utopian outcome. He argues that proactive and responsible leadership is essential to steer the field towards a “new wonderful utopia.”
(Image Caption: Choi Jae-cheon, a former professor of biologist, Seoul National University, and a professor of ewha Womans University, who specializes in animal behavior, and a professor at the national Institute of Ecology.)
