UMd. Details Stem Cell Partnership With Vatican

BALTIMORE --
The University of Maryland School of Medicine detailed how a new partnership with the Vatican for stem cell research will work and how the $2.7 million in funding will be spent.
The Vatican threw its support behind an international adult stem cell research project lead by the university last Friday, and an agreement was signed in Rome. School officials are celebrating the new partnership with optimism that the specialized research will lead to significant health benefits.
Catholic Church officials said the Vatican has faith in science to help people.
"The pope himself knows about this and is very enthusiastic about this research," said Bishop Denis J. Madden of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.
"There has been so much contention over the past 10 years, and I think the cardinal, the Italian NIH, the Vatican and the University of Maryland together are pulling the pin out of the steam on that debate," said UMd. Dr. Curtis Civin.
The Catholic Church said it encourages adult stem cell research over embryonic because that involves destroying embryos, which the church considers to be nascent human beings.
The project will investigate the use of intestinal adult stem cells for treating diseases. Intestinal stem cells are easily harvested through a routine endoscopy so they could come from the patient themselves and not have to be stored, researchers said.
Those stem cells are highly active blank slates that can become any kind of cell, experts said. They also replicate quickly throughout peoples lives.
Scientists said there are three steps to achieving their goal.
"One -- to find them in the intestine. There are millions of cells, and very few are stem cells. Two -- make them survive outside the body. Three -- and most importantly -- make them capable of becoming multi-components," said UMd. Dr. Alessio Fasano.
According to church officials, the Vatican will not be directly providing $2.7 million in funding. The money will go to a Vatican supported hospital and medical school in Italy, and that facility will then distribute it to Maryland researchers and other members of the consortium, including the largest children's hospital in Europe.
Patients with celiac disease will likely be the first to be studied, officials said.
"We are confident that this research into intestinal stem cells will lead to better understanding of stem cells, their biology and their potential medical application," said UMd. Dr. Albert Reece.
There are still some questions attached to the research. The group will have to unlock the mystery of how the cells can be kept alive and made to replicate in the laboratory.
Another key question is how to transform the stem cells into different types of cells after they've flourished.
Once all the questions are answered, scientists said they can begin testing stem cell treatments on patients.