DES MOINES, May 2, 2002 (LSN.ca) – Iowa State University researcher Don Sakaguchi has shown that bone marrow stem cells transplanted into lab mice developed nerve cell proteins three weeks after they were transplanted. Sakaguchi, who has worked on adult human stem cell research for two years, said it's important to look at less controversial ways to do research that could help humans, such as his adult stem cell work that does not require human embryos and avoids cloning.
State Gov. Tom Vilsack signed legislation Friday that bans reproductive or therapeutic human cloning in Iowa. The bill makes cloning or attempts at cloning a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Receiving a cloned human embryo or related cells would be an aggravated misdemeanor. The bill is effective July 1.