Has anyone heard of Dr Robert Lanza?

[carson]

He's already grown a kidney using stemcells. not a human kidney but a kidney that worked nonetheless! He's really trying to fix people. In the most recent issue of Discover magazine there's a whole article on his research and advances. And for those of you who think they need to grow babies to kill and use their stem cells, think again. There are advances and ways to do it without such measures. Ethical ways. He may be on the road to actually fixing people!!

[Rerun]

I've not heard of him but I love him!           
                                                               

[RichardMEL]

I understand there is some method to extract stem cells from skin (or something like that?)... Imagine, for a moment (*wanders off into fantasy land... mmm chocolate!*) that your own stem cells could be easily taken from your own body and used to grow a kidney. The kidney would be rejection free because it would be 100% matched with you (because it comes from you!) and, in theory, you would thus not need the predisone, and other immunosupressant drugs or any of that stuff....

imagine....

(sounds like one of those ads!)

The question is.. can it and will it happen in our lifetimes to a practical degree. Imagine the cost benefits to governments (quite apart from for patients) such advances would bring. Of course the cynic wonders how the drug companies might want to push such work back since it's not in their interests... *sigh*

[carson]

I'm willing to stick around so he can grow me a kidney!!