South Korea has recently opened a new institute for researchers worldwide to study stem cells from human embryos. Led by South Korean scientist Hwang Woo-suk, the World Stem Cell Center in Seoul, South Korea, will serve as the main hub for an international consortium conducting research on stem cells.
Satellite research institutes will also be established in the United Kingdom and in San Francisco, California, USA. This center aims to assist scientists from countries like the United States in bypassing the restrictions imposed by their governments on stem cell research.
The extraction of stem cells from human embryos is often associated with the destruction of the embryo, an act that opponents argue equates to taking a potential life.
However, many scientists assert that stem cell research could lead to treatments for diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s.