Local Democrats take on hot issue
By CHRISTIAN LEHMAN

The monthly meeting of the Union County Democratic Party held last Thursday at Meeks Park was more than just the usual party business. Fifty-four democrats from both Union and Towns counties filled the ramada for more than fundraising and campaign support issues. The party hosted a lecture on the hot topic of embryonic stem cell research given by Dr. Jason Brown, a biology professor at Young Harris College.

Embryonic stem cell research first came to prominence in 1998 with the discovery that the cells could be separated from a human embryo in a laboratory environment. Scientists feel stem cell research is important because stem cells are a sort of generic cell that can be manipulated into other more specific cells such as neurons, heart cells and brain cells. All this means a potential medical windfall. In 2001 the president banned any federal funding on embryonic stem cell research on all cells acquired after August of 2001.

Dr. Brown's came equipped with two microscopes enabling viewers a good look at some frog embryos and gave a short talk on the possibilities of continued research in this area. The presentation included the basic of embryonic stem cells develop and their potential benefits without opening the Pandora's Box that makes up the bio-ethical side of this issue. Brown calls the process as "influencing stem cells into what we want them to be".

Despite a federal ban on funding for stem cell research, private or state funding is perfectly legal. Much of the current research is focusing on

regenerative cells, which are cells that can be used to replace damaged cells like in the case of a heart attack. "This is a very hot area of research," said Brown, who concluded with a question and answer session for the audience.