British stem cell scientists seek licence to create chimeras

[Rosalinda]

British scientists from three separate research centres have announced their intention to submit simultaneous proposals to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) later this month seeking a licence to create human-animal chimeras. The researchers - based in London, Newcastle and Edinburgh - are seeking approval to carry out experiments where they will remove the nucleus from either rabbit or cow eggs and replace it with the nucleus from a human cell. The groups hope that the new research will enable them to perfect the technique of cell nuclear replacement, also known as therapeutic cloning.

This is one bright idea scientists have come up with to circumvent the problem of using female human oocytes (eggs) for cloning. BTW, I see nothing in Missouri's proposed Amendment 2 which would ban this type of chimeric cloning using somatic cell nuclear transfer otherwise known as SCNT. Therefore, this is yet another cloning technique which the supposed ban would allow. Naturally, researchers promise to destroy these human/animal embryos before 14 days.

http://www.bionews.org.uk/new.lasso?storyid=3213