Stem Cells

By Joe Palca

Published December 30, 2002 at 12:00 AM EST

In the first of a three-part series on cloning, NPR's Joe Palca reports on the stem cell research that's being conducted at publicly funded research labs in Britain. The stem cells are derived from human embryos that are discarded by in-vitro fertilization clinics. Scientists around the world oppose the use of cloning techniques to create human babies. But they support the cloning of embryos for stem cell research, which has the potential to produce new treatments for various diseases.

Joe Palca

Joe Palca is a science correspondent for NPR. Since joining NPR in 1992, Palca has covered a range of science topics — everything from biomedical research to astronomy. He is currently focused on the eponymous series, "Joe's Big Idea." Stories in the series explore the minds and motivations of scientists and inventors. Palca is also the founder of NPR Scicommers – A science communication collective.

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