Research with Premature Infant Livers Touches a Nerve London Calling For

NEWS Research with premature infant livers touches a nerve Most stem cell researchers are accustomed to develop stem cell–based liver treatments. their work being greeted with controversy. But During the past two years, Reid has collected Lola Reid’s work is so contentious even those about 12 neonate livers and says her team has in the field call her a scientific maverick. been able to harvest cells from the livers seven Reid, a researcher at the University of North to eight hours after death. She says the organs Carolina, is trying to isolate stem cells from the Courtesy: Nicholas Moss are thick with hepatic progenitor cells and the livers of premature infants who have died. The cells grow more rapidly than those harvested university was wary about her proposal, but from adult livers. after five years of meetings and reviews, in 2002, One prominent stem cell researcher, who it granted her permission to proceed. asked not to be named, says it is too early to Reid says infant livers contain a higher con- predict whether the cells will offer any centration of fast-growing progenitor cells than advantage over adult cells. Another says it is adult livers. But her data are as yet unpublished unclear whether Reid’s findings will hold up and she is just moving into animal studies. Lola Reid (inset) says infant livers are a superior when she moves into in vivo tests. But some Many scientists are skeptical of Reid’s work, source of stem cells. researchers are cautiously optimistic that she but those interviewed for this story did not might be on to something. wish to be identified. Reid says it is only natural In some cases, families must be approached “It is clearly true that the therapeutic use of that the scientists are cautious. “They can wait for the organs only hours after the mother has these cells is completely unknown at this time,” until we publish all this,”she says.“I’m just try- given birth and many devastated parents says Marcus Grompe, a hepatic stem cell ing to give them a heads-up that this is a new decline. The researchers enlisted the help of a researcher at Oregon Health & Science http://www.nature.com/naturemedicine direction to go in.” local agency that asks families for adult organs. University.“But their proliferative capacity and Reid’s program is the first of its kind in the The university’s bioethicists helped word the the fact that they survive so long after death US. Premature babies are generally too small consent form to specify that the organs would make them very interesting candidates,” he and underdeveloped to qualify as either donors be used for research, and not for transplanta- says. Grompe says he supports the science or recipients of organs. Not surprisingly, Reid tion or therapy. The document also informs behind Reid’s work, but “the emphasis should and her colleagues have found that the project is donors that the liver cells might benefit Vesta be on science, not application.” fraught with challenges and ethical dilemmas. Therapeutics, a company Reid helped create to Tinker Ready, Boston London calling for British medical research institute After months of deliberation, a task force set up The new location would to consider the future of the National Institute move the NIMR close either to © 2004 Nature Publishing Group for Medical Research (NIMR)—one of King’s College London or to Britain’s leading centres for basic medical University College London, research—has recommended that the institute both of which have expressed be moved from Mill Hill, on the outskirts of an interest in forming partner- London, to a single site in central London. ships with it. The MRC will “I am very happy that the decision is to retain meet on July 29 to consider the institute in London on a single site,” says the panel’s recommendation Robin Lovell-Badge, one of two NIMR before it makes its decision. researchers on the task force.“Any other option The council will have to A task force has recommended against splitting Britain’s National Institute for Medical Research. would probably have meant that the institute consider many factors such as would not survive.” cost and location, says Colin Blakemore, MRC NIMR director Sir John Skehel says he is The Medical Research Council (MRC) has chief executive and the panel’s chair. “The task reserving judgement until the final decision is wanted to push the institute more toward clini- force has been relatively detached from issues made. But Guy Dodson, head of the institute’s cal research and for the past year has been con- like cost and how the decision fits with the gen- division of protein structure, says NIMR staff sidering different options, including moving eral strategies of the research councils,”he says. are sceptical of any change that would threaten the institute closer to a research hospital “There is a general policy to move things out the institute’s unique multidisciplinary culture. (Nature 423, 573; 2003). NIMR staff have of London if possible,” Blakemore adds. “The “Universities are now striving to create insti- looked on anxiously as, over the course of sev- council has already said, from looking at our tutes and remove departmental barriers,” eral meetings, the task force considered the pos- preliminary reports, that it is surprised by the Dodson says.“NIMR already has that.” sibility of splitting the institute. central London recommendation.” Laura Spinney, London At the panel’s last meeting in June, it ruled out The council might let the institute remain in several other choices, including the fragmenta- its present site, he says. But an independent For more news and analysis go to tion option, and agreed unanimously that a sin- report commissioned by the MRC earlier this gle, more central location would best serve the year found that the building, built in the 1930s, www.nature.com/news institute’s aim of translational research. will need major refurbishment in 10–20 years. 762 VOLUME 10 | NUMBER 8 | AUGUST 2004 NATURE MEDICINE.

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