World's first stem cell bank opens in the UK

The world's first national stem cell bank was opened in the UK yesterday. It is housed at the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control at Potter's Bar, Hertfordshire, 12 miles north of London. The cell bank, which cost 2.6 million pounds, is funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).

The purpose of the UK Stem Cell Bank is to store and grow ethically-approved stem cell lines for distribution to researchers worldwide. By launching the bank, the UK hopes to maintain a lead in this promising area of medical research. The cell lines are derived from stem cells, which have the capacity to continue to multiply and reproduce themselves indefinitely. Stem cell lines held at the bank will grow into a 'vast reservoir' of cells that can be used for research and, it is hoped, ultimately for treatment purposes.

The first two human embryonic stem cell (ES cell) lines to be placed in the bank were developed separately by researchers at King's College London and the Centre for Life in Newcastle. In time, the bank will also accept stem cells from the umbilical cords of newborn babies and cells from adult sources. Applications to deposit stem cells or have access to stored cell lines will be reviewed and authorised by a high-level steering committee chaired by Lord Naren Patel.

The stem cell bank has support from the UK government. At the launch of the bank, Health Minister Lord Norman Warner said 'we expect to bring breakthroughs in the understanding and treatment of disease. This potentially revolutionary research could benefit thousands of patients whose lives are blighted by devastating diseases such as Parkinson's, stroke and Alzheimer's', adding 'this bank is the first of its kind in the world and confirms the UK's position as a leader in stem cell research'. Professor Colin Blakemore, chief executive of the MRC, agreed that the new bank offered hope for the development of new treatments for a variety of conditions. 'The bank will ensure that researchers can explore the enormous potential of this exciting science for the future benefit of patients', he said.