Stem cells are primitive cells found in embryos, fetuses, and recently adults that can grow into 210 types of cells in the body. James A. Thomson, an embryologist at the University of Wisconsin, and John D. Gearhart of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine announced on Thursday, November 8 1998 that they and their colleagues had isolated the cell. Scientists have tried for years to find stem cells because of their great medical value. Diseases such as …showed first 75 words of 751 total…

…showed last 75 words of 751 total…more political problem stem cell researchers are facing is a Congressional ban on federally funded human embryo research. This ban has been in place since 1994. On January 15, 1995 the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) ruled that such funds may be needed to support human embryonic stem cell research, this does not allow money to be used for the destruction of embryos though, so it is still necessary for the ban to be fully lifted.