It's a truism at the moment - and good news - that scientists in almost every branch of medicine see their research as "perhaps the most promising use of stem cells." Here, the Society for Neuroscience weighs in on what they see as the best and brightest stem cell research: "Embryonic stem cells have been shown to restore movement after paralysis. And with genetic engineering, stem cells can act as sophisticated protein delivery systems. Scientists have used them to deliver GDNF, a factor to aid in the survival of neurons targeted by Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases. Another team has used them to seek and destroy brain tumor cells. And a Norwegian group has proved that even in adults, neural stem cells have the power to become functioning neurons." Interesting times!
Link: http://apu.sfn.org/content/AboutSFN1/NewsReleases/am2004_human.html