stem cell books

	Miracle Stem Cell Heart Repair: (For Heart Attack, Heart Failure and Bypass Patients)
	By: Christian Wilde ISBN: 1599750546 Publisher: Abigon Press Release Date: 01 October, 2006 Bioscience book rank: 12751	I was really surprised when I read this book at how many meaningful adult stem cell programs the author found. He does a nice job describing the processes and the basic theories behind the techniques he describes. I work in this field and found this book to be helpful to me as well. In spite of our President's view on stem cell research, it appears that research is continuing. Much of it, according to Mr. Christian is not using embryonic cells but the cells from our own body. It also appears that the results have been startling. As best I can tell, none of these procedures has made it to the point yet where they are approved treatments for the general public. Instead this is a book that describes the ongoing research being conducted at a number of heart institutes. <br /> <br />The author specifically states, 'nothing you will be presented in this book is offered to replace or supercede your doctor's advice or treatment plan for you.' <br /> <br />The best overall advice I can give is to not plan to have your heart troubles for another ten or twenty years when (hopefully) some of these treatments are of proven value and approved as safe. But it certainly looks like the times they are a chang'n.
	Stem Cell Century: Law and Policy for a Breakthrough Technology
	By: Russell Korobkin, Stephen R. Munzer ISBN: 0300122926 Publisher: Yale University Press Release Date: 28 November, 2007 Bioscience book rank: 314121	As a stem cell research advocate (a California law named after my son, Roman Reed, inspired the nation's first state funding of embryonic stem cell research) I am constantly on the lookout for books which clarify difficult issues. <br /> <br />"Stem Cell Century" is a clear and understandable summary of key legal questions in this vital area. <br /> <br />Libraries, advocates, lawyers, and regular folks will find much of value here. <br /> <br />Don C. Reed, [...] <br /> <br />
	Fundamentals of the Stem Cell Debate: The Scientific, Religious, Ethical, and Political Issues
	By: Kristen Renwick Monroe, Ronald Miller, Jerome Tobis ISBN: 0520252128 Publisher: University of California Press Release Date: 11 December, 2007 Bioscience book rank: 193053
	The Stem Cell Divide: The Facts, the Fiction, and the Fear Driving the Greatest Scientific, Political, and Religious Debate of Our Time
	By: Michael Bellomo ISBN: 0814408818 Publisher: AMACOM Release Date: 11 August, 2006 Bioscience book rank: 55782	The review below can be found at the ScienceReport-dot-net website. <br /> <br />Human stem cell research is a major hot button topic that divides the conservative and scientific communities. Religious conservatives see it as tampering with nature and even playing God. Scientists, on the other hand, see the potential to treat many of the life threatening diseases of our times - from heart disease and diabetes to Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. <br /> <br />There's no question that there's been a lot of hype surrounding both sides, so it's refreshing that in The Stem Cell Divide provides a non-biased look at the science and politics surrounding this controversial topic. <br /> <br />The book is divided into 3 parts: Discovery of the Stem Cell's Unique Abilities, The Race to Harness the Power of Life, and Stem Cell Cures and Curses. There are two appendices: one describing how human cells are cultured and the other describing California's legislation concerning the funding of stem cell research. The book also has a fairly extensive glossary. <br /> <br />The first part of the book is concerned with stem cell basics. This section is designed to get novices up to speed with the history and process of stem cell research. Bellomo clearly explains why embryonic stem cells have advantages over adult stem cells, the scientific research up to this point, and our main sources for embryonic stem cells - namely stem cell cultures maintained by Dr. James Thomson of the University of Wisconsin and potentially, the thousands of unused embryos that are discarded at in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics. <br /> <br />The second part of the book discusses the opposition President Bush has faced from his own party by his decision to veto any bill that allowed federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. Bellomo makes it extremely clear that the issue at hand is not whether embryonic stem cell research should be legal - it already is allowed, remains unrestricted, and is perfectly legal - but whether it should be federally funded. <br /> <br />On August 9, 2001, Bush announced that federal funding would only be allowed for researchers who experimented on the 60 or so existing embryonic stem cell lines. Determined to keep biotechs within the state, California responded with Proposition 71, legislature that essentially made conducting stem cell research a state constitutional right and allowed $3 billion in funds to be given over 10 years to stem cell research facilities, and specifically, embryonic stem cell research. That sparked a number of other states to also propose legislation to fund embryonic stem cell research. <br /> <br />At the federal level, President Bush has faced opposition in Congress. In May 2005, the Republican-controlled House passed a bill allowing federal funds to be used for embryonic stem cell research. Even staunch supporter, Dr. Bill Frist, broke from the Bush camp to support the legislation, saying: <br /> <br />"We should federally fund research only on embryonic stem cells derived from blastocysts left over from fertility therapy, which will not be implanted or adopted but instead are otherwise destined by the parents with absolute certainty to be discarded and destroyed." <br /> <br />Bellomo also addresses the rise and fall of Dr. Hwang Woo Suk, the South Korean researcher who claimed incredible advances in stem cell research and became somewhat of a celebrity in his home country. His promising career came to a crashing halt when it was made public that he had fabricated much of his results and had breached ethical guidelines when he paid women to donate their eggs for embryonic research. Scientists are still trying to decipher what, if any, part of his research is valid and what was fabricated. <br /> <br />Finally, in the third part of the book, Bellomo discusses the promises of therapeutic cloning - when embryonic stem cells are removed from the blastocyst, harvested in a culture dish and then injected with the nucleus from a donor cell so that the cell makes copies of the donor genetic material. Therapeutic cloning offers great potential to generate replacement tissues and organs for illnesses and injuries that currently have no cure and will greatly reduce the rejection rate for patients that need organ transplants. It is thought that if organs and tissues are grown from a patient's own cells, their body will be much less likely to reject the transplant than if that organ was donated by someone else. <br /> <br />Bellomo doesn't shy away from alternatives to embryonic stem cell research, covering briefly the pros and cons of using adult stem cells and germ cells, before tackling some of the key arguments for both sides. <br /> <br />Ethically, conservatives argue that embryonic stem cells are still the foundations of human life and therefore they have a right to life. As James Sherley of MIT says, <br /> <br />"A human life begins when a diploid complement of human DNA is initiated to begin human development. Therefore, a life can be initiated by the fusion of sperm and egg or by the introduction of a diploid nucleus into an enucleated egg (ie cloning)" <br /> <br />James Thomson argues from a different perspective. <br /> <br />"The bottom line is that there are 400,000 frozen embryos in the United States, and a large percentage of those are going to be thrown out. Regardless of what you think the moral status of those embryos is, it makes sense to me that it's a better moral decision to use them to help people than to just throw them out. It's a very complex issue, but to me it boils down to that one thing." <br /> <br />Advancements in cellular research may eventually make therapeutic cloning more acceptable as scientists learn to remove the inner cell mass of a blastocyst without destroying the embryo or as research into how diseases develop helps find cures that don't require such practices. The final chapter offers predictions of where Bellomo sees the progress several years into the future. <br /> <br />While the byline of the book "The facts, the fiction, and the fear driving the greatest scientific, political, and religious debate of our time" suggests that it will tackle the ethical, religious, and political debate on stem cell research, the book only briefly tackles the ethical arguments for each side while focusing on the scientific process, experiments, and funding legislation. <br /> <br />The writing style is accessible and explains the science in clear terms with diagrams. This is a great, matter-of-fact overview of stem cell research that allows its readers to draw their own conclusions based on the facts presented. It will be useful to those looking for a comprehensive introduction to the subject as well as those looking to catch up with the latest research. THE STEM CELL DIVIDE: THE FACTS, THE FICITON AND THE FEAR DRIVING THE GREATEST SCIENTIFIC, POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS DEBATE OF OUR TIME is even more relevant given President Bush's recent veto on the research than when it first appeared, before the fact. It offers a pro/con look at stem cell research, considering both sides as evenly as is possible and considering religious, ethical, and health implications of stem cell potentials. It's a 'must' for any who would survey the research's potential and the roots of the controversy surrounding it. <br /> <br />Diane C. Donovan <br />California Bookwatch The Stem Cell Divide is what I have grown to expect from this author. I find all of the books that I have read written or co-authored with him to be informative, well researched and easy for a non-scientist or student to read. He makes science exciting for the non-scientist. <br /> <br />I like the way that the book does not take sides but delivers the facts and lets the reader come to their own conclusions. The book helps to sort out the media hype, fact from fiction. <br /> <br />I would urge others to read this if they are having trouble understanding what is really going on in the stem cell world.
	Cell of Cells: The Global Race to Capture and Control the Stem Cell
	By: Cynthia Fox ISBN: 0393058778 Publisher: W. W. Norton Release Date: 26 March, 2007 Bioscience book rank: 62293	There have been a number of books about stem cells. Some take a dry scientific approach, others have focused on the political-religious-legislative battles within the United States and how those disputes have forced research abroad. <br /> <br />This book, with its emphasis on places and personalities, breaks new ground as a science writer's travelogue. Cynthia Fox spent years jetting around the world, interviewing scientists, touring labs, and documenting discoveries while charting the social and geopolitical forces affecting the stem cell race. You feel what it's like to work in a lab. You can also feel the tensions, which is what ultimately makes this book a good read. <br /> <br />Fox had a riveting ringside seat to the famous Korean scandal. But there's much more here; one online reviewer called this an 'essential handicapper's guide', and it proves to be richly rewarding for the details on at least a half dozen other labs around the world, as well as on the proliferating third world quack clinics (which merit a whole chapter). At first I wondered about Fox's use of the frame narratives and cultural sketches, wondering if they were, strictly speaking, necessary; within fifty pages, however, I was won over by Fox's sense of balance and genuine grasp of the scientific challenges. She understands the range of the field. She definitely did her homework. <br /> <br />An impressive work of observation, Cell of Cells is a gentle introduction to a difficult subject, and a must-own for anyone working in the stem cell field. Cynthia Fox definitely caught the mood and atmosphere of the times.
	The Stem Cell Controversy: Debating the Issues (Contemporary Issue Series)
	By: Michael Ruse, Christopher A. Pynes ISBN: 1591024048 Publisher: Prometheus Books Release Date: 04 April, 2006 Bioscience book rank: 83709	The editors give the stem cell debate thorough and thoughtful treatment of the complex issues surrounding the current debate. This would be an excellent book for someone wishing to become familiar with all aspects--social, political, religous, moral, scientific, medical--of stem cell issues. <br /> <br />I would highly recommend this book for any college course that plans on tackling such thorny issues as ethics--both medical and scientific. In addition, as both editors are philosophers the book would be well-suited to any introductory ethics class. This book covers the subject from various angles. It is divided into major topics, with articles from various professionals speaking about the topic. A perfect book for those who want to learn the subject or write a research paper.
	The Stem Cell Debate (Facets)
	By: Ted Peters ISBN: 0800662296 Publisher: Fortress Press Release Date: July, 2007 Bioscience book rank: 256007
	Stem Cell Now
	By: Christopher Thomas Scott ISBN: 0452287855 Publisher: Plume Release Date: 29 August, 2006 Bioscience book rank: 506869	Misunderstandings about the nature of stem cells have unfortunately held back U.S. progress in this area. The subject is quite complex and this book does a great job of making clarifications for those opposed to stem cell research and creating supporting arguments for those who are already in favor of it. A bit biased towards using stem cells but not too much. He really tries to just show you the basics of the debate and the science behind the debate, which many people dont know. So if you want to understand more about stem cells, where they come from, their potential, the alternatives, etc. this is the book to start with. Scott's book explains stem cell research for laypeople, with enough personal anecdotes and wisecracks to keep the science-shy awake. <br /> <br />He doesn't exaggerate potential applications or limitations, and he explains that stem cells could be good for much more than stem-cell therapy. The thorough ethics section concisely and precisely covers everyone's views. <br /> <br />Here's the first two sentence from a review of the book in the magazine Nature on May 10. "Christopher Scott's little book Stem Cell Now is fundamentally a primer on stem-cell research, suitable for lay readers and freshmen. It offers accessible descriptions of stem-cell science and analysis of associated ethical and political issues."
	Stem Cell Wars: Inside Stories from the Frontlines
	By: Eve Herold, George Daley ISBN: 1403984999 Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Release Date: 18 September, 2007 Bioscience book rank: 409450	While the theme and argument of the book is easy to agree with (that is if you are not a religious fanatic), it provided insufficient information about what it alleges to provide - the inside stories from Capitol Hill about the debate of this important issue. <br />Eve Herold starts out by first briefly citing historic examples where religious theologies and ideologies impeded scientific progress. One can literally write volumes about this topic as the sheer number of such examples in history is unfathomable. Hence, it could have been omitted. She provided good, brief explanations and reviews of the science of stem cell research, in language that most laymen can comprehend. <br />She discusses Bush's policy and only a few inside stories from Washington DC about the politics surrounding this issue, highlighting especially senator Sam Brownback as the biggest fighter against this stem cell research, going as far as sponsoring bills that would criminalize science of stem cell research of any kind! (This theocrat needs to be voted out of office!) <br />In almost each chapter, Eve Herold covers individual cases of people who could be helped by the science of stem cell research, strengthening her case. Finally, in the last chapters, she covers the Korean controversy in detail and gives a brief overview of current British policy towards stem cell research. <br /> <br />The reason I found it inadequate is because I expected more, as well as, more detailed stories regarding the precise politics of this issue, referring to specific Senators and Congressmen who stand against this vital research. I wanted them to get exposed and get voted out. Being a biologist, I was at times bored reading about the science of it or that religious bigotry prevents this research. Those are well known facts. I wanted more exposure for the fools who stand against it, and I felt to that end it was insufficient. However, for starters, this book is very good and worth the read. Strongly recommend Stem Cell Wars. Gives a science based report of stem cell research from it's beginnings to the political perils it faces today. Not overly scientific. Very informative while making a strong case for the continuation of the research while not being biased. Stem Cell Wars: InsideStories from the Frontlines by Eve Herold provides an excellent account of the forces that have shaped the delay of meaningful federal funding of stem cell research. It's the first of it's kind to describe the incredible obstacles that stem cell advocates have faced in their eight year fight for future cure, since human embryonic stem cells were first derived by Dr. Jamie Thompson. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Other books have focused on explaining the biology of stem cell research in lay terms, or the religious controversy related to stem cell research. And though Eve Herold's book also describes these aspects of the issues surrounding the immense promise of stem cell research, she devotes a considerable portion of this fascinating book at the crux of the issue: the fact that much needed advances in stem cell research are being held hostage by the absolutist views of a minority of Americans. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />The urgency of this next revolution in medicine is revealed in the well-written accounts of the true suffering encountered by fellow advocates who are burdened by various incurable medical conditions. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />She also explains that there is great support for embryonic stem cell research among many Christian denominations including the Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Church and the United Methodist Church. ( I wish she would have added that ironically our current president is a member of the United Methodist Church). <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Unfortunately stem cell advocates have been at a disadvantage compared to the well-funded and highly organized anti abortion lobby which has politicized the entire issue. Both Eve's chapters on the hijacking of the issue by the politics of abortion as well as the profound political spin using what she calls "weapons of mass distraction" are a must read for anyone who wants to be fully informed about what has been holding back the research. Meanwhile the relatively new and inexperienced Pro-Cures advocates have had to unite and get "organized" primarily under the banner of the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research, to battle these obstructionist forces which have even gone as far as trying to criminalize the research at the UN level. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Bernard Siegel of the Genetics Policy institute played a pivotal role in averting that proposed UN ban, while international media seemed unaware of the upcoming UN vote and the profound impact it could have on the average person. His story is one of the highlights of the book <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />In her closing chapter Eve makes the case for federal regulation of stem cell research to provide ethical oversight as well as to ensure safety associated with cellular transplants. <br /> <br /> <br />As a long time stem cell research activist, I have kept up to date on many of the aspects described in Stem Cell Wars and know the content of this book to be very factual. It is an easy read and as patients are still fighting for their lives, I welcome this book as a comprehensive portrayal from the frontlines of what Jon Stewart calls the "War on TERRORble Diseases." <br /> <br /> <br />
	The Human Embryonic Stem Cell Debate: Science, Ethics, and Public Policy (Basic Bioethics)
	By: Suzanne Holland, Karen Lebacqz, Laurie Zoloth ISBN: 0262582082 Publisher: The MIT Press Release Date: 01 September, 2001 Bioscience book rank: 92248	I bought this book for a class, but it's pretty interesting anyway. The Catholic viewpoints in here are a bit... unrepresentative, though. The Jewish viewpoints were very enlightening. Holland et al. created a good introduction to the public policy and science behind the current embryonic stem cell research (ESCR) debate, but while this book has "debate" in its title, there was little material disagreement between most of the contributors. A more robust, representative exchange of ideas would have made this book 5-star material.<p>The book is divided into several themes.The first three chapters are on the basic science and history of stem cell research, and the editors' choice of contributors is impeccable: they include James Thomson, who first isolated human embryonic stem cells, and Thomas Okarma, president and CEO of Geron Corp., which is the private firm that has spearheaded the development of Thomson's discoveries.<p>The second section segues from history to public policy and ethics, including analyses of the National Bioethics Advisory Committee's report on stem cells in 1999. This by and large was a good introduction to how the government, and specifically the Clinton administration, began to respond to stem cells. Erik Parens has a good article on how people tried to differentiate between the morality of experimenting on embryos from IVF clinics and embryos made specifically for research, and a few other dilemmas stemming from current human embryonic stem cell (hES) sources and protocols.<p>We then go into the third section, which contains religious perspectives on ESCR. This is where I found the term "debate" a misnomer, as for the exception of Gilbert Meilaender, a Protestant thelogian, all the religious commentators tried to show how their traditions could tolerate, if not actively approve of, ESCR. Now I know that many religious people approve of ESCR, but the deafening silence on the opposition's part (excepting Dr. Meilaender's rather short piece) concerns me. Ironically, in the following section, sociologists Paul Root Wolpe and Glenn McGee note that the majority of the ESCR dialogue has been within a scientific community with an active interest in promoting ESCR. This seems to be just the case in this book.<p>The fourth chapter is a public policy section, with the aforementioned good essay by Wolpe and McGee on the nature of the ESCR debate. The essays treat issues like whether pressure will be exerted on women in fertility clinics to donate unused embryos to labs, whether the poor will get stem cell therapy, government oversight, and several other practical concerns that must be addressed if one promotes ESCR and any future applications it may bring. A few essays bear particular note: throughout the debates on ESCR in past three years 1999, I didn't hear much of the minority or feminist viewpoint on ESCR, so the opinions of Suzanne Holland (who appears earlier in Section II), Margaret McLean, and Cynthia Cohen were particularly handy. Thomas Shannon had some good points about whether the ESCR funding would deprive people of more basi public health programs.<p>On the whole, this is a useful book, but I suggest that in addition to reading the thoughts in this volume, you should check out Richard Doerflinger, the research ethics group Do No Harm or some of the others who oppose embryonic research. If this book were to do justice to both sides, it would be a truly first-class resource. Holland et al. created a good introduction to the public policy and science behind the current embryonic stem cell research (ESCR) debate, but while this book has "debate" in its title, there was little material disagreement between most of the contributors. A more robust, representative exchange of ideas would have made this book 5-star material.<p>The book is divided into several themes.The first three chapters are on the basic science and history of stem cell research, and the editors' choice of contributors is impeccable: they include James Thomson, who first isolated human embryonic stem cells, and Thomas Okarma, president and CEO of Geron Corp., which is the private firm that has spearheaded the development of Thomson's discoveries.<p>The second section segues from history to public policy and ethics, including analyses of the National Bioethics Advisory Committee's report on stem cells in 1999. This by and large was a good introduction to how the government, and specifically the Clinton administration, began to respond to stem cells. Erik Parens has a good article on how people tried to differentiate between the morality of experimenting on embryos from IVF clinics and embryos made specifically for research, and a few other dilemmas stemming from current human embryonic stem cell (hES) sources and protocols.<p>We then go into the third section, which contains religious perspectives on ESCR. This is where I found the term "debate" a misnomer, as for the exception of Gilbert Meilaender, a Protestant thelogian, all the religious commentators tried to show how their traditions could tolerate, if not actively approve of, ESCR. Now I know that many religious people approve of ESCR, but the deafening silence on the opposition's part (excepting Dr. Meilaender's rather short piece) concerns me. Ironically, in the following section, sociologists Paul Root Wolpe and Glenn McGee note that the majority of the ESCR dialogue has been within a community with an active interest in promoting ESCR. This seems to be just the case in this book.<p>The fourth chapter is a public policy section, with the aforementioned good essay by Wolpe and McGee on the nature of the ESCR debate. The essays treat issues like whether pressure will be exerted on women in fertility clinics to donate unused embryos to labs, whether the poor will get stem cell therapy, government oversight, and several other practical concerns that must be addressed if one promotes ESCR and any future applications it may bring. During the height of the ESCR debate, I didn't hear much of the minority or feminist viewpoint on ESCR, so the opinions of Suzanne Holland (who appears earlier in Section II), Margaret McLean, and Cynthia Cohen were particularly handy.<p>On the whole, this is a useful book, but I suggest that in addition to reading the thoughts in this volume, you should check out Richard Doerflinger, the research ethics group Do No Harm or some of the others who oppose embryonic research. If this book were to do justice to both sides, it would be a much better resource.