October 5, 2009

expert reaction to Independent story on funding of hybrid research

A front page story in the Independent claims that much-publicized research using human-animal hybrid embryos is in danger of coming to an end due to lack of funding.

Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, Chief Executive of the Medical Research Council, said:

“The Medical Research Council recognises the importance of stem cell research and actively encourages applications to a dedicated funding committee. Stem cell research now receives more funding than ever before from the Medical Research Council (MRC) – over £25.5 million in 2007/8. The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) also funded stem cell research to the tune of £11.3 million in 2007/08.

“Every application received by the MRC is subject to a review process which assesses it for both quality and excellence, to ensure that the science the MRC funds is of the highest standard. This process is extremely rigorous and guarantees that all funded proposals are of an internationally competitive standard.

“The MRC makes the best use of taxpayers’ money and there is no better way to determine what should be funded than to use the ‘gold standard’ peer review system where scientists assess applications on their merits. This system rules out the possibility of a personal or moral view influencing the final outcome of a proposal.”

Dr Justin St-John, University of Monash, Melbourne, Australia, said:

“”I am moving to Monash University in Melbourne because it’s a world class university for the study of reproduction, development and stem cells and they have offered me a job. I believe it’s a place where my work on mitochondrial DNA transmission will flourish.

“There will be an opportunity to do large animal work to answer the bigger questions about how to develop assisted reproductive technologies to prevent transmission of mutated mitochondrial DNA from one generation to the next. There are a lot of studies in mice, but this work now needs to be carried out in larger animal models and parallel stem cell models.

“The MRC funded me to make mouse-pig hybrids and I am grateful to them for their support for my work. Hybrid work will continue in the UK. However my hybrid work was a spin off from my main research interest which I will be pursuing at Monash.

“I fully expect to carry in my collaboration with Professor Keith Campbell on animal models of hybrid embryo research.

“Furthermore, it is a scientific investigators prerogative to decide when to submit or delay submission of an application dependent on the climate, funding available and the calls of the various funding bodies! Had I decided to stay in the UK, the work would have gone ahead as approved by the licensing authority but based on our observations in animal systems. In our opinion, this is the most appropriate way to proceed if resource and knowledge are to be used most effectively.”

Prof Keith Campbell, Animal Development, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham , said:

“I am presently still funded by the MRC to continue non human hybrid research as part of my main work looking at ways of improving reprogramming to produce stem cells and improving animal cloning for the purpose of research.

“We still need to pursue all the avenues of research into cellular reprogramming and the understanding of epigenetic mechanisms involved in development and differentiation.”

Dr Colin Miles, Head of Integrative and Systems Biology at the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, said:

“BBSRC funds fundamental stem cell research alongside all the other areas of bioscience in our remit. Having a HFEA licence and legislative approval to conduct certain research does not give an area special treatment. All grant proposals made to BBSRC must compete in our peer review process and are judged on scientific excellence, strategic relevance and potential to contribute to the body of knowledge. UK bioscience is world class and BBSRC is not able to fund every grant proposal it receives. To date, BBSRC has received only one grant proposal involving human hybrid embryos and following our peer review process, that proposal was not funded.”