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By Marcelle Richards

Daily Bruin Senior Staff

President George W. Bush named UC San Francisco as one of 10 locations with stem cell lines eligible for use by federally-funded scientists Monday. The nod of approval from the federal government on Aug. 9 to fund stem cell research – which requires the use of leftover human embryos from in vitro fertilization – will allow the 10 labs to use cultures developed before that date.

If the research reaches the potential scientists hope it will, it may be able to treat diabetes, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and heart disease by regenerating cells that have been destroyed or damaged.

“UCSF is committed to furthering research on human embryonic stem cells and will make its two cell lines available to researchers as soon as we work out the conditions,” W. Sue Shafer, UCSF’s assistant vice chancellor, said in a statement.

There are four institutions in the United States and six in Sweden, Australia, India and Israel with a total of 60 stem cell lines.

UCSF possesses two lines, the first derived in January and the second in May 2001.

To access the stem cells, the labs must first contact National Institutes of Health investigators, who work for the agency that is implementing the president’s plan.

Some scientists, like head UCSF researcher Roger Pederson, who derived the two lines, are concerned the capped funding will not be sufficient.

With only 60 lines, Pederson said, the potential for finding medicines to cure or treat the targeted diseases may be limited.

The NIH released a statement which backed the president’s proceed-with-caution funding decision.

“The NIH believes that much basic research can and should be conducted using existing stem cells before any conclusions can be reached regarding the therapeutic potential of these unique cells,” the statement said.

UCSF is working with Geron Corp., the company which helped sponsor the derivation of the two stem cell lines, to finalize the agreement which outlines the conditions for cell availability.

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