• Question: DO YOU ALL AGREE WITH STEM CELL RESEARCH, FEEL FREE TO ARGUE AMONG YOURSELVES

    Asked by anon-233320 to Varun, Sammie, Rebecca, Anna, Alin, Adam on 20 Nov 2019.
    • Photo: Rebecca Shaw

      Rebecca Shaw answered on 20 Nov 2019:

      Not only do I agree with using stem cells for research, but I have carried out research using stem cells!

      Stem cells themselves are great to use in research because they can develop into different cell types. This means we can study stem cells to find out how the body develops (my current research project), but we can also look at how new drugs can affect organs (grown using stem cells), how diseases infect different types of cells and also look into the possibility of tissue damage repair and self repair to prevent further damage to the body.

      They can be quite tricky to work with as they require a lot of attention to make sure they are growing right, but the work and research in stem cells is beneficial!

    • Photo: Varun Ramaswamy

      Varun Ramaswamy answered on 20 Nov 2019:

      Hi Gabe! Yes absolutely! Like Rebecca, I have also worked in a stem cell lab. I have literally seen embryonic stem cells being cloned (genetically engineered) to form heart cells.. and you can see them beat like a heart in a dish!
      Clearly it is a fantastic science that is going to help us a lot with treating dangerous diseases in the future!

    • Photo: Samantha Firth

      Samantha Firth answered on 20 Nov 2019:

      Absolutely! Stem cells are great for research – just as Rebecca said, they are incredibly useful because they are ‘totipotent’ (fun science word for ya there 😎) – they can develop into all sorts of different cells! 🔬🌌💊 Check out this great video to find out more about their importance:

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