The Italian government has excluded human embryonic stem cells from a recent funding opportunity for stem cell biologists. A Nature News article of 1st July reports how three scientists are appealing against this decision.

The use of established lines of human embryonic stem cells in research is legal in Italy. Nevertheless, funding for such research has had a bumpy ride. In 2007 a 3 million Euro government stem cell research fund was cancelled after some scientists argued that monies were being distributed without appropriately transparent proposal and review processes.

The new funding opportunity was made public in February 2009 after consultation by the government with a commitee of experts. Giulio Cossu, a developmental biologist at the San Raffaele scientific institute in Milan, was a member of that committee. He says the wording the committee drafted for the funding call did not exclude any type of stem cells.

However, the published text included a sentence explicitly excluding projects using human embryonic stem cells. Three biologists - Elisabetta Cerbai of the University of Florence, Elena Cattaneo of the University of Milan and Silvia Garanga of the University of Pavia - are now challenging the government's decision.

The case is expected to be heard in court in the first half of July 2009.

Read the full Nature News article:

Italians sue over stem cells, Alison Abbott, Nature 460, 19 (2009), doi:10.1038/460019a