$30 Million Project Aims to Produce 1,500 Stem Cell Lines for Drug Discovery

View the article here:  http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=30-million-project-aims-to-produce-1500-stem-cell-lines-for-drug-discovery

At the University of Oxford, tens of millions of dollars have already been appropriated for the development of 1500 new stem cell lines, which are intended for use in research on neurological diseases and disorders.  The current state of the pharmacology industry in the development of new neurological drugs is bleak: generally, it is considered a money pit due to the complex nature of the nervous system and the intricate barriers and chemicals involved.  Scientists hope that by creating several hundred new stem cell lines to work with, research can move forward from its currently stagnated position.  One important feature about these new stem cell lines is their origin: 3 new lines will be derived from each of 500 patients, many of whom suffer from commonplace neurological disorders, and many who are perfectly healthy (a control group).  In this way, scientists will have a large base of options from which to choose when starting research.  This article is brings to light an important point: in many major areas of drug research, new innovations are stagnating.  It will take new and ingenious innovation for drug developers to keep up with the demand for new products.